Stranger at my Door
by Ragazza Doulce
Summary: Hermione leaves Hogwarts as Ron's gf, what she doesnt know is that her parents are having horrible fights, on the verge of divorcing- then someone finds their way to her doorstep. Will he help or make things worse? Hermione/Draco
1. Chapter One the surprise

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any related characters. They're JKR's and I'm taking no credit.  
  
Stranger at My Door  
  
By: Ragazza Doulce  
  
"I'm going to miss you guys so much!" Hermione Granger exclaimed to her two best friends trapping them in a big hug. She pulled away and said sternly, "If you don't owl me, I'll have both your heads, you hear?" Ron Weasley and Harry Potter smiled and nodded. "Good."  
  
Hermione put her arms around Ron's neck and kissed him. The kiss was the same as always: short, sweet, and full of love.  
  
When they finished their sweet, short kiss, Hermione leaned into Ron's ear and whispered, "And if I hear any news about you replacing me with a certain red-headed fourth year I'm gonna kick your butt." Ron's ears turned pink and she laughed at him. She was just teasing him about his sister Ginny. Ron and Ginny had a special brother-sister bond that Hermione found absolutely adorable. And also an easy teasing target.  
  
She stepped back and waved good-bye one last time and then ran to where her parents were waiting for her.  
  
As soon as she got there she was engulfed in her father's giant bear hug.  
  
"Daddy, stop, you're cutting off my air!" Hermione wheezed. Mr. Granger let go and held her at arms length.  
  
"I can't believe how much you've grown!" he said, then he gave her another bone cracking hug.  
  
Once her father stopped choking her she went over to her mother and hugged her tightly. It was good to see her parents again.  
  
~  
  
The whole ride home her parents buzzed on about everything that happened since she'd left for school. Hermione stared out the window pretending to listen but actually daydreaming about everything that happened since Ron had asked her out. The kisses they'd shared, the engrossing conversations they'd had, and don't forget the trouble they'd gotten into.  
  
But she'd snapped out of it after her mom said, "Oh, honey, I hope you don't mind but we invited a transfer student to stay at our house."  
  
"Student of what?" Hermione asked, "It's summer, there's no school."  
  
"Yes, well that's what I had said but it so happens that this boy had come from a very poor family. His parents wanted to get him out of their country due to a war on the brink of breaking out. So I volunteered us to take care of him. I thought it might be a nice learning experience for you Hermione."  
  
"Oh," was all she could say. There were so many Hermione-like questions going through her head like: How did they know he wasn't a psycho? A murderer? A lunatic? How did they know it wasn't some sort of scam? Where would he sleep? How could they afford it?  
  
Then there were other questions like: How old was he? Was he hot? Would he like her? And.Where would he sleep? Those questions, however, were quickly put a stop to as Hermione reminded herself about Ron. Ron's my boyfriend now. I love him and respect him. I will not cheat on him. These words would be spoken later. to some besides herself.  
  
Hermione sighed and went back to staring out the window.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"May!" A voice screamed before the car even hit the driveway. Hermione turned to see her best friend from the muggle world.  
  
"Brandee!" Hermione yelled back. She hadn't seen Brandee in so long she almost forgot what she'd looked like. Hermione took in her friend's appearance as she jumped out of the still moving car.  
  
Brandee had her brown hair in many tiny braids which had been pulled up in a sloppy half up-half down style. Her chocolate colored skin went well with her powder blue sweater and skirt she was wearing. The look was complete with her cream knee socks, cool shoes, and glasses.  
  
Hermione ran over to her and gave her a hug.  
  
"You can't believe how much I've missed you, May!" Brandee said. May was Hermione's middle name. She insisted everyone call her by that here in the muggle world. Well, all except her parents.  
  
"Like wise!" was Hermione's answer.  
  
"Wow, you sure have changed!" her friend noted surprised, "But I say it's definitely for the better!" Hermione smiled and blushed. Her previously walnut frizzy hair was now an auburn color framing her face- no frizz.  
  
"Yeah, I guess I have. Maybe my biggest mistake turned out to be the greatest thing that could happen to me!" Brandee look a little confused, "I let these two girls Lavender and Parvati give me a make-over. It was rather much like hell sitting there helpless as they chopped off my hair and chattered about boys, make-up, boys, oh yeah, and boys." Hermione shuttered for a dramatic effect before something caught her eye behind Brandee. "Is it-? It can't be- LAMAR!" she yelled and ran toward him. She threw her arms around her neck and he spun her around hugging her.  
  
Lamar was Brandee's older brother. "Is that May?" He asked looking at her. "Is that my little May flower?"  
  
Hermione smiled brightly at him. "Have you grown or what!"  
  
"She's home for the summer, Lamar," Brandee come up behind Hermione, "The WHOLE summer!"  
  
The three of them talked and laughed until they had to go in to eat dinner.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
At dinner.  
  
"The transfer student will be here in about an hour, so Hermione, do you think you can go get your room ready?" Mrs. Granger asked.  
  
"Ready for what?" Hermione wanted to know.  
  
"For the boy of course!"  
  
"He's sleeping in my room?!" She couldn't believe this! If he was sleeping in her room-  
  
"Where will I sleep?"  
  
"Either you share the room- God knows it's big enough- or you sleep on the couch. You pick," Mr. Granger was still grumpy about Hermione jumping out of the car.  
  
"I'll sleep in my room I suppose, then," Hermione mumbled. She did not want to sleep in the same room as a serial killer, though. And there was only one bed! Where did they expect the other person shall sleep?  
  
"You didn't have to jump out of the car you know," Mr. Granger said out of nowhere. Hermione was a little taken back and didn't answer right away. He took this as an opportunity to continue, "You could have just waited until I stopped the car."  
  
"Sorry," Hermione said, not sounding very sorry at all, "I didn't think it mattered that much."  
  
"I don't think you thought at all! Do you ever? And if you do, it's of nothing but yourself! I didn't raise you to be the spoiled little brat you're acting like!" Mr. Granger yelled. His face was rather flushed with anger and he was gripping his utensils tight. With tears in her eyes she got up from the table and ran to her room.  
  
"You didn't have to yell at her like that, you know," Mrs. Granger told him softly, afraid he might explode again.  
  
To her relief he just ran his hands over his face and said, "I know." But then he continued, "But someday she has to realize that the world doesn't revolve around her. She only thinks about herself!"  
  
"No," Mrs. Granger whispered firmly, "You're only thinking of yourself." She threw down her napkin and left the table. Things weren't going too well in the Granger residence.  
  
In Hermione's room..  
  
Hermione ran into her room trying her hardest to hold back her tears. She only thought about herself? Everything she ever did was for them! Her grades.her whole life was spent trying to get them to approve!  
  
Hermione slammed the door to her room trying to get all her emotions out in that slam. All it achieved was making a very loud noise and cracking the door frame. Seeing as that didn't work she just threw herself on her bed and cried. Cried until the doorbell rang. At that point her father was still at the kitchen table, her mother was nowhere to be found and Hermione was red-faced and puffy eyed.  
  
"Hermione!" her father called up the stairs in a cold voice. "Get down here and answer the door!" Her first instinct was to yell 'No!' but common sense kicked in and she quickly ran to the bathroom and splashed her face with cold water hoping it would make it less obvious that she'd just cried her heart out. She looked into the mirror. Not the best, but it would have to do, she thought as her father called her again, with anger and impatience in his voice.  
  
Hermione ran down the stairs and opened the door. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. This couldn't be.this was impossible.this was her worst nightmare.  
  
This was Draco Malfoy.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N- So how was it? Did you like it? Did it make sense? Please review and let me know how I'm doing! 


	2. Dinner with Malfoy

Disclaimer: All I own is the plot. JKR owns the rest.  
  
Stranger at my Door  
  
Chapter Two  
  
Hermione acted even before she thought, which was needless to say, the first time she did so. She knew it wouldn't solve her problem but maybe, just maybe, it would buy her some time. What had she done? She'd slammed the door in his face.  
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing, Hermione?" her father yelled at her as he yanked the door open again. Ugh, her time to think was just cut short.  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
"You will treat these men with respect, you hear me?" my dad said fiercely. I hadn't even noticed another person standing along side Malfoy. Even though I'd never seen this man before I knew it was the all talked about "father" aka Lucius Malfoy. Even if I'd never heard of Lucius it was obvious they were related- same shockingly blonde-white hair, cold bluish gray eyes, hinted with amusement at the moment.  
  
"I'm so terribly sorry," daddy apologized to the Malfoys, putting on a smile and inviting them in.  
  
Malfoy (younger) smirked at me and brought my hand to his lips as he bowed. "Bonjour," he said his eyes laughing at me. I blushed, with fury or embarrassment, I don't know.  
  
"Does he speak English?" my father asked looking uneasy.  
  
"Wee, I do," Malfoy said in a fake French accent, "I am, ah.still learning."  
  
I glared at him, hating him for lying but curious why he was here.  
  
"Hermione, why don't you show - Draco is it?" Malfoy Senor nodded, "where he is sleeping?"  
  
I shook my head no.  
  
"Why not, darling?" his voice shaking with anger. He hissed darling like it was a curse or a word that was not to be said.  
  
"Because," I told him innocently, "You never told me where he was going to sleep."  
  
"Stop trying to be a smart-ass Hermione and show him his God (sorry sorry!) damn room!"  
  
I huffed and started up the stairs Malfoy right behind me. I opened the door to my room showing him in. I never in a billion years thought I'd be showing Malfoy into my room.  
  
He turned and looked at me in disgust.  
  
"What?" I asked with a lace of venom in my voice.  
  
"Granger," he said like it was the most obvious thing in the world, "This is a girl's room."  
  
"Yeah, well get over it. Either you sleep here or you sleep downstairs on the couch," I told him, echoing what my father had told me. When Malfoy didn't answer right away I decided to try to steer his thoughts toward sleeping on the couch. "Well if you're not going to answer I'll answer for you. The couch is downstairs and to the right." Okay maybe that was a little too subtle.  
  
"No thanks, Mudblood, I think I'll take this room," he answered after hearing how much I wanted my room.  
  
We stood there a couple of minutes in charged silence until he spoke up, "What's up with your face?" then sat down on my bed.  
  
"What do you mean?" I asked offensively then absentmindedly joining him on the bed.  
  
Malfoy rolled his eyes at me, "You were crying, Mudblood. Why?"  
  
"Why should I tell you?"  
  
Why did he have to remind me of earlier events? Ugh.  
  
More silence.  
  
"Hello Draco dear!" my mother came through the door. Malfoy quickly jumped off the bed and gracefully made his way to my mom, bowed, and kissed her hand. My mom giggled. Hmm.now tell me class, what's wrong with this picture?  
  
"So Draco, I was wondering if you ate dinner yet?" she asked him when he let go of her hand.  
  
"I did not," Malfoy replied in his fake French accent.  
  
"Why don't you come downstairs and I'll make you something then?"  
  
"Ah.Thank you," Malfoy accepted her offer.  
  
"Why don't you come too, Hermione?" my mom suggested.  
  
"I'm not hungry," I answered coldly. I didn't want to spend more time with Malfoy than I absolutely had to. Besides I was still mad at her. She hadn't defended me from my father. My own mother was against me!  
  
"That's okay dear. You can come anyway," she insisted with a strained smile.  
  
I mumbled some nonsense words under my breath and followed. Malfoy just smirked at me, clearly amused by all of this.  
  
"What would you like, dear?" Mother asked the lying, cheating, piece of- sorry.Malfoy.  
  
"Iz eet posseeble for you to make pancakes?" Malfoy wondered innocently. I shook my head. There was no way my mother would-  
  
"Sure sweetheart."  
  
My jaw dropped for the second time that day as I stared at her in disbelief.  
  
"How come you're making him pancakes? You've never made daddy and me pancakes!" I protested.  
  
"He's a guest in our house and we treat our guests with respect." Then she added as if in an after thought, "besides, if you want some you can have some too."  
  
"I'm not hungry," I said like a five year old, crossing my arms and plopping into a chair next to Malfoy. But as soon as that batter hit the pan I wished I'd never refused. I was hungry, I realized as mother set Malfoy's plate of pancakes in front of him.  
  
My mouth watered and my stomach rumbled as he took his time elaborately buttering it and bathing it in syrup.  
  
"Merci, Mrs. Granger."  
  
The longer I look at the delicious looking pancakes the hungrier I got. Soon I remembered that I'd left the dinner table before I had a chance to even touch my food, let along eat any.  
  
Now I was staring at him delicately cut them, putting the first bit into his mouth. Maybe it was just me but it looked like slow motion.  
  
With all the pancake staring I hadn't noticed my mom leave the room or that Malfoy was also staring at me.  
  
He speared a couple more pieces on the fork and brought it to mouth level.  
  
"Want some?" he asked rather teasingly.  
  
I nodded quickly. I'd left all my pride the second I'd started staring.  
  
"Little mudblood Granger's hungry?" I glared by nodded again.  
  
Malfoy smirked slightly but pulled the fork away when I tried to take it. "Tut-tut." I put my hand down and let him feed it to me. It was strange. here I was in the middle of my kitchen with my worst enemy letting him FEED me. Ugh, what was wrong with me?  
  
Malfoy slowly put the fork down, still looking in my eyes. Then his flicked down to my lips and back up to my eyes. He started leaning in and I felt myself freeze realizing what was happening. I didn't want to kiss him.I hated him! But it was like a magnetic pull- you just could break away.  
  
Our lips met. It was nothing big, just a brief contact, but even as we pulled away, our faces stayed close, our eyes unblinking. Because we'd both felt it. It was like a jolt of electricity that passed between us. I'd never felt it before- not even while kissing Ron. Ron. at that thought I backed away as fast as I could, ran up the stairs, into my room and locked the door.-  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
a/n- Did I make them move too fast? I really didn't mean for that to happen in this chapter. But that's what they wanted and when they want something they get it. [mumbles under breath] Please review! I'm not gonna update unless you do! Please tell me if there's a better way to go about this chapter, because I'd be happy to change some of it if you (the readers and reviews) have better ideas on what to do about that scene that wasn't supposed to be there. I will assure all of you though, that things between Hermione and Draco are going to slow down for a while, they remember why they hate each other and junk, THEN it should pick up on the romance end. Wow this is a long a/n. Okay then I'm out.  
  
You can flame me but all flames will be used to roast marshmallows for S'mores!  
  
And I thank all of you who updated!! I really didn't expect to get any! You're my inspiration so please keep reviewing!  
  
~*Ragazza Doulce*~ 


	3. Scary story scared one too many

Disclaimer: I told you I don't own them so don't sue me. Even if you did you wouldn't get anything on a count of I don't have any money.  
  
Stranger at my door  
  
Chapter Three  
  
~  
  
"Hermione!" her mother called through the door, "Are you going to just leave Draco all alone?"  
  
Yes, as long as I possibly can, Hermione thought to herself.  
  
Out loud she couldn't think of anything to say so she just grunted and opened the door.  
  
"Good girl," Mrs. Granger said to her as if she were a dog or something.  
  
"So, *mother*, where am I sleeping and where is *that*" she pointed at Draco, "sleeping?"  
  
"*Draco*," her mother said firmly, "is sleeping in your room with you."  
  
Hermione looked horrified, "B-but, there's only one bed!"  
  
"It's a queen size, is it not?"  
  
"Yeah, but- but- it's *him*! He'll like, rape me in my sleep or something!" Hermione protested.  
  
"Watch your mouth Hermione May Granger! Besides, Mr. Malfoy would do no such thing!" she reassured her daughter. Hermione just stared at her mother unbelievingly.  
  
"You'll figure something out, dear," she told Hermione, then pat her back "comforting" and left.  
  
Draco smirked at her. Hermione turned on her heal and flung herself onto her bed face first.  
  
"You're wrong, mudblood," Draco said to her from the doorway. Hermione looked up at him. He was leaning against her doorframe with his arms crossed and his usual smirk.  
  
"About what?" she asked.  
  
"About raping you in your sleep," he told her. When she just stared at him in amazement he smiled evilly and continued, "I'd wait until you woke up."  
  
Hermione buried her face in her pillow and screamed with frustration.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I don't think it's a good idea, Dan. She's 15, she shouldn't be in the same bed as that boy," Mrs. Granger (Rajkumari) complained to her husband.  
  
"You're the one always trusting her, I thought maybe you'd like the idea,'' he said.  
  
"It's not that I don't trust her. And what part about having my only child sleeping in the same bed as someone we don't even know would I like?" she challenged.  
  
"She has to learn that she can't always get her way. We can't always give her everything she asks for. We're raising her to be a spoiled bitch!"  
  
"Get out," Hermione's mom told him in a strange calm. No one would take about her daughter like that. She was everything a mother could ask for. Her only flaw was being a teenager and she couldn't help that. For weeks straight Rajkumari had been taking his shit and doing nothing about it and her daughter hated her for it. Tonight she would make a stand.  
  
"Excuse me?" Mr. Granger hissed.  
  
"You heard me: Get. Out." She straightened. Dan hadn't been himself lately. Fighting with her. Yelling at Hermione. She was just scared of what he might do in this state.  
  
But she'd be damned if she let him see that.  
  
"This is my house and I'll do what I want."  
  
Mrs. Granger never lost her temper before. She was always a quiet, shy girl who respected her parents and let people push her around. That was about to stop.  
  
Rajkumari slapped her husband as hard as she could right across the face. His head snapped to the side.  
  
"My father paid for this house, not you. So you better get out right now before I-"  
  
"Before you what?" he challenged.  
  
"I'll call the police," she stuck out her chin, looking so much like Hermione.  
  
"No you won't," he told her, "Because if you do I'll make you wish you weren't born."  
  
Without warning she sprinted to the phone.  
  
But Dan got to her first. He grabbed her arm and struck her across the face. She fell to the floor.  
  
"You will learn respect, Mari," he warned her and turned around to leave. He didn't want to look at her anymore. Before he went outside, though, he ripped the phone off the wall in rage, leaving it to crash to the floor. And all Mari could do was cry.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Hermione pushed past Malfoy with her comforter and pillow in her arms.  
  
"Where're you going?" he asked, tailing behind.  
  
"I'm sleeping on the couch. I've decided that between sleeping in the same bed as you and sleeping on the couch- I'll take the couch. At least I won't have to worry about what you could do while I was asleep," Hermione told him, setting up her make-shift bed on the couch.  
  
Malfoy just shrugged and replied, "Your choice. Too bad you'll be here *all alone* with nobody else around when the thunderstorm comes. And you know what?" he leaned in as if telling her a secret. "I heard there was some sort of serial killer out there. He's known to only attack in storms, so any noises would be pasted off as thunder. And the screams of the kids were thought to be from fright of lightning. Little did the parents know that at the very moment their kids were being brutally butchered.  
  
"You see, this killer is very clever. he waits until the exact right moment then- he attacks."  
  
Hermione stared at Malfoy, her eyes wide. It isn't true, she told herself. Malfoy's just making it up.  
  
"You sure you wanna sleep down here? All *alone*?" Malfoy asked, stressing the word alone.  
  
Hermione held her head up high and said, "Yes, I'm not afraid." But at that very moment thunder struck and she screamed and practically jumped into Malfoy's arms.  
  
Malfoy pushed her away and said, "Suit yourself. It's not my fault if all we find pieces of you all over the house. And I'll say- I warned her." With that Malfoy went upstairs to get dressed (or *undressed*. sorry just thought you might like the visual lol) for bed.  
  
Lightning flashed and it started to rain. "It's just a joke. It's not real. It's just a joke-" Hermione kept repeating to herself as she climbed onto the couch. "It's not real."  
  
She focused her attention on the wall in front of her. A shadow that looked suspiciously like a person flashed there with the lightning and she squeezed her eyes shut, "ItsjustajokeItsnotreal," she repeated so fast that the words started slurring into each other.  
  
But even through her fear, she was still a Gryffindor, meaning she couldn't stop herself from turning around to the window. She slowly turned her head toward the window. She couldn't see anything. It was too dark.  
  
Probably nothing she told herself, not really believing it. She took a deep breath closed her eyes and then opened them, straining to see in the darkness.  
  
Lightning flashed one after another, lighting up a crazy looking man with his face up against the window. Hermione screamed and got up to run upstairs. But as soon as she stood up she fell over, tangled up in her comforter. Panicking she kicked at it franticly trying to get out.  
  
When she got out she didn't even glance back, she sprinted straight up those stairs banging into her room.  
  
"Six minutes and 16 seconds," he said, looking at his watch. Draco sat on the bed smirking at her, as if he knew this was going to happen. "You did better than I thought you would."  
  
Hermione stormed over to him. "You paid that guy to be out there, didn't you?!" she fumed. To her dismay and fright, Draco just looked back at her confused.  
  
"What guy?" he asked her, showing no signs to make her believe he was lying.  
  
"That- that guy, at the window," Hermione told him. But slowly that anger that had built inside her was turning into fear.  
  
"I didn't have any guy out there to scare you," he said to her, quite serious. Her eyes widen slightly and she took a deep shuttering breath.  
  
"Okay," Hermione whispered, sitting on the bed, unusually close to him. "If you didn't put him there."  
  
She didn't finish the sentence as Draco jumped up from the bed and closed and locked the door. "That story was *not* supposed to scare me too," Draco told her and sat back down next to her. After a few seconds pause he said, "Are you sure you saw someone there?"  
  
"What? Are you saying I'm seeing people now?" Hermione almost yelled. She was tired and she was scared, which meant she was very cranky.  
  
"Chill, Granger, I was just suggesting that maybe you made a mistake- God forbid that though!" Draco said, suddenly angry. He just asked her a question! She didn't have to get all pissy about it!  
  
"I'm sorry," she apologized rather forcefully. "I'm just tired okay?"  
  
"So? Go to sleep. Save us all from being near you like this."  
  
"I *have* nowhere to sleep. I'm not going back down there!" Hermione screeched.  
  
Draco held up his hands in defense, "Don't yell at me. This isn't my fault," he paused when Hermione gave him a look, "Why don't you sleep here?"  
  
"Because, Malfoy, I'm not sleeping in the same room as you due to the fact that you're a lying jerk who will not keep his hands to himself!"  
  
"How would you know?" he questioned her quietly sounding offended.  
  
"Because I know you," Hermione answered.  
  
"Do you?" he asked, barely audible.  
  
Hermione blinked in confusion. When he didn't continue though, she passed it off as her imagination.  
  
"Fine, I'll sleep downstairs."  
  
She was about to say fine when thunder struck again and she jumped onto his lap, with her arms around him. She took her face out of his chest and smiled at him sheepishly. Draco rose an eyebrow and smirked at her.  
  
"Does this mean you want me to stay?" he waggled his eyebrows at her suggestively.  
  
Hermione hit his arm half playfully, "Perverted prick," she said while giggling.  
  
Draco sighed dramatically, "I know. It's a curse that's been bared upon me." Then he broke out into a fit of giggles. (Not the girlie kind.)  
  
"Fine, Malfoy," Hermione sighed, "You can stay."  
  
"Good, 'cause if you said I couldn't, I would have made you leave!" he joked, getting under the covers and laying down.  
  
"Shut up, I'm tired," Hermione yawned and laid down snuggling into him. (Awww! Lucky duck!)  
  
They fell asleep in each others arms like that, with the door locked. The storm raged on in the night.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
a/n- Tell me what you think! Pretty please review! I need reviews to keep me writing! So do you like the fluff in this chapter? Was this chapter better than the last one? Personally I think so but I need you're opinion. Review! And thank you so so so so much to all of you that reviewed last chapter! You make my world complete! Lol.  
  
~*Ragazza Doulce*~ 


	4. Multiple personalities!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or related characters. They belong to the genius JKR.  
  
Stranger at my door  
  
Chapter four  
  
Malfoy slowly came into consciousness, but didn't open his eyes. He frowned when he felt someone with their arms around him and legs entwined with his. Pansy?he wondered. Nope, that wouldn't make sense, she never stays the night.  
  
Malfoy opened his eyes, blinking a couple times against the light. That's when he saw her. Hermione Granger was sleeping next to him. He was so surprised he yelped, rolled over and fell off the bed.  
  
"Wha?" she said groggily, but did the same thing he did. "What are you doing here, Malfoy?" she asked sharply. "And why the *hell* were you in my bed?!"  
  
Malfoy raised his eyebrows, "Um.I hate to break it to you but I'll be here for a while."  
  
"Well, at least all our clothes are on," Hermione said to no one in particular, ignoring his comment. Suddenly images of last night flooded her vision. Downstairs, story, thunderstorm, man, scared, upstairs. She looked up at him. He wasn't too unpleasant last night. Not many horrible comments.the things he said were said with an air of laughter. She was about to say this out loud when Draco opened his big mouth.  
  
"Why would *I* sleep with a mudblood?" he sneered. He almost took it back when he saw the look on her face, but decided against it.  
  
"Then why'd you kiss me?" she asked. Until she said that she'd forgotten all about that. Draco paled slightly at the reminder of this and thought a second before he answered.  
  
"I was confused, I made a mistake. Beside," he added with a smirk, "You should be grateful a Malfoy gave you such treatment." He thought a moment, "You should be happy *anyone* would give you such treatment."  
  
Hermione quickly looked away, and stood up. "Fine," she said in a snippy voice, "But you're sleeping downstairs tonight."  
  
Before Draco could protest, she turned and left the room, leaving him confused.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I'm going over to Brandee's!" Hermione called from the door. She was almost out. she almost escaped but no. She couldn't do *that*, she couldn't leave dear ickle *Draco.*  
  
"Why don't you bring Draco along with you?" Mrs. Granger asked, no rather, TOLD Hermione. Hermione glanced worriedly at a dark bruise on her mother's face, which she had obviously tried to cover up with make-up, but said nothing of it.  
  
"Do I have to?" Hermione whined. Her mom's face was stern.  
  
"Yes," she ordered, "He's new here. He doesn't know anyone, you should help him adjust."  
  
Hermione took a deep shaky breath. All she wanted to do this summer was hang out with her best friend and do normal things. Pretend that for once she was normal, she wasn't a witch and that she wasn't constantly fearing that she would be struck dead by Voldemort. She was so upset about Malfoy ruining her planning that she almost yelled at her mom that Malfoy was an asshole who was probably planning her demise right now!  
  
Yet, she held it in her. She kept his secret; that he wasn't really a French muggle trying to get away from war.  
  
Glaring at her mother she bounded up the stairs to fetch the ferret.  
  
"Get your lazy ass up. You're coming with me," Hermione demanded at the teenager. He was currently relaxing on her bed in his boxers, too lazy to get dressed. Hermione blushed some when she realized just how little he was wearing. And his muscles weren't half bad either. Her blush turned to a deeper red and she mentally slapped herself.  
  
Malfoy smirked at her, obviously enjoying how uncomfortable she was. "And where am I going?"  
  
"My mom's making me take you with me to my friend Brandee's house," then as if reading his mind she crossed her arms and added sharply, "But if you touch her in any way I will not hesitate to hurt you. You will be on your best behavior."  
  
"Yes mother," Malfoy mocked, "You take the fun out of everything Granger."  
  
"Sometimes things aren't meant to be fun," Hermione whispered, "Sometimes fun just gets you hurt." Malfoy looked at her. He wasn't sure if he actually heard her or if he was just imagining it. But if she really *did* say that, he knew that something was really wrong with this girl. That she was probably a danger to herself.  
  
A lot like him..  
  
~*~*~  
  
Hermione's POV  
  
After much prodding I finally got him to AGREE to get dressed. Even then he couldn't make up his mind of what to wear.  
  
"Should I wear my black jeans and black shirt? Or the forest green sweater?" Malfoy counted in his head.  
  
"My God, Malfoy, you're worse then a girl before a date!" I told him, laughing a little. "Are you sure you're straight?"  
  
He just threw my pillow at me, hitting me square in the face, as an attempt to shut me up. Too bad for him that all it did was make me laugh harder.  
  
"Not like *you* would understand, Granger," Draco sneered. That shut me up.  
  
"Do you have multiple personalities or something?" I asked Malfoy, being quite truthful. "One minute you're joking around, being completely awesome to be around, the next you're that arrogant, jerk who I've grown up to hate!"  
  
Malfoy showed no reaction to my words. All he did was say, "You finished?"  
  
"Yes," I answered shortly with my arms folded tightly, my lips set in a line. After about a minute of just standing there tapping my foot I finally loosened up a bit. I guess I over reacted. I was just so stressed about my dad. He wasn't being himself lately and I wanted to know why. It really scared me.  
  
"So, where *are* you're clothes? I never saw you bring a trunk or anything," I asked after a couple deep breaths.  
  
Malfoy's face paled more than usual and he shouted, "Crap!"  
  
"You *forgot* your *clothes*? Now that's smart," I smirked at him, already feeling some of my anger dissipating.  
  
"Shut up, I'm sorry if I didn't have to pack my wardrobe as my father dragged me out the door to this wretched and tiny place," he snapped at me.  
  
"We worked hard for this place, harder than your family has ever worked, Malfoy, and we're proud of it. If you have a problem with it then get out," I told him in a steady but quiet voice.  
  
Malfoy snorted but I could tell by his eyes that what I said hit a nerve. Now that I thought about it, his eyes were usually his only give-away of what he felt.  
  
"I guess we'll just have to buy you some clothes. You'll just have to wear what you wore yesterday," I suggested, trying to act as if the last couple minutes never happened.  
  
"Oh joy, I get to go on a shopping spree with a mudblood. I'm so excited," he sneered at me sarcastically. Now that hurt. It shouldn't.I mean, I should be used to it by now, it's been five years since I first heard that horrid name. Yet somehow, it still stung terribly.  
  
"Fine, you go by yourself. See what I care. The less time I have to spend with you the better!" I yelled at him, biting back my tears I continued, "It's not like I *invited* you here! I didn't even know that you were coming! I didn't choose this, Malfoy, so don't punish me."  
  
"Yeah, well did you think that *I* chose this?" he yelled back, "Well, I didn't! So maybe you should think about someone other than yourself for once!"  
  
Almost an exact quote of what my father told me. Maybe he was right. maybe I was selfish. Wait! What was I saying-?  
  
"*I'm* selfish?! Malfoy what about you?! You're the one totally absorbed in nothing but yourself! You think *nothing* of other people!"  
  
"Yeah, well that's who I am, okay! That's how I was raised and that's how I like it! So just. just. fuck off!"  
  
I drew in a deep breath, shaky with anger but I tried my best to be the better person and swallow it. "Fine, whatever. I guess I'm forced to take you to the mall or something to get some clothes. *but* since I don't think I'd be able to handle any more time alone with you, I'm inviting Brandee along."  
  
Malfoy, still surprised from me giving up so easily, just nodded. "Good, now get dressed." This time he didn't protest.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"I'm bringing Draco to the mall!" Hermione called to her mother, who was somewhere unseen in the house. "Okay!" came her muffled response.  
  
Hermione dashed out the door, Draco right behind her, but stopped suddenly and screamed. Draco, not knowing that she was going to stop, ran right into her making her lose her balance. He caught her around the waist and steadied her.  
  
"Watch where you're going, mudblood," he sneered, hastily letting go of her. "Why the fu-" He stopped and saw what she was looking at.  
  
Her dad.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
I think I'll leave you here. I'm so cruel. Or maybe I'm not. maybe this isn't even a cliffy. I dunno. Hope ya'll liked it! Review pleas!!! I need them as inspiration! (That sounds really cheesy doesn't it? *sigh*)  
  
Thank you all who reviewed!  
  
~Ragazza Doulce~ 


	5. Secrets Revealed!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters except the ones you don't recognize (ex.- Brandee, Lamar). So don't sue me.  
  
A/N- I'm so sorry it took so long to update but I started school and its really hard! I'm in honors so I have about 5 hours of homework everyday and like no time to write! Sorry! Stranger at my door  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Hermione's dad lay there, shivering, looking like he'd just been through hell and back again.  
  
"Daddy!" she screeched and ran to his side. "Daddy?" She knew that she'd been upset with him and more than once wished he would die but she'd never meant it! Never!  
  
Mr. Granger groaned and Hermione let out a sigh of relief. Malfoy also let out a breath he hadn't noticed he was holding.  
  
"Come on, let's get him inside," Draco said, taking charge. Hermione nodded, a couple tears rolling down her cheeks. "He's okay," he whispered to her, lifting her chin up a little. Hermione looked at him then nodded, wiping away her tears.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"I must look horrid," Hermione laughed nervously as they once again made their way to next door.  
  
Draco draped his arm over her shoulders but said nothing.  
  
"Gee thanks, that makes me feel so much better," she said sarcastically.  
  
"I do what I can," he answered, playing along. Hermione just rolled her eyes and rang Brandee's doorbell.  
  
Draco quickly dropped his arm back to his side as the door opened. "Brandee!" Hermione shrieked and hugged her best friend, even though they just saw each other yesterday. Draco winced at the high-pitched screaming.  
  
"Hellllo," he said *at* Brandee, looking her up and down when the two girls separated. Hermione hit him upside the head, giving him a look.  
  
"I thought you were supposed to be French," Brandee told him, with a look of disgust and amusement on her face.  
  
"Uh.um." Draco stuttered. He glanced at Hermione pleadingly, hoping that she'd save him.  
  
"I lost my accent already?" he said in the form of a question. All of a sudden he seemed to realize what he was doing. He was actually pleading a *muggle* to believe him. What was going on? He must have been around Hermione too much. "Why am I explaining myself to a *muggle*? I must have been around the mudblood too long," he sneered, mostly to himself.  
  
Hermione looked away sharply with tears in her eyes, blinking furiously.  
  
"What's a muggle? And what's a mudblood?" Brandee asked confused.  
  
"So the *mudblood* over here didn't tell you, eh?" he smirked at her. "Then maybe I sho-" Hermione turned away from him and ran to the side of the house. His smirk faded and he glanced worriedly at the corner where she disappeared.  
  
"Excuse me? What did you just say that made my best friend go into hysterics? She doesn't cry that easily and I know it. Is that like an insult or something?" Brandee demanded from him, her hands on her hips.  
  
"None of your damn business," he sneered at her, "Now if you'll excuse me I have to go find Granger." With that he turned at started toward the direction Hermione left in.  
  
"Stupid little bitch. has to go make a scene.stupid me.had to make her cry. arg," he muttered to himself as he made is way toward where Hermione was facing the house, wiping furiously at her eyes trying to stop crying.  
  
"Granger," he said a little more forceful than he meant.  
  
"Go away," she told him, not turning around.  
  
"Listen to me," Draco said. She didn't move. He put his hand on her shoulder, "Please?" Inside he was half kicking- half patting himself on the back for this. On one hand she was a stupid mudblood who didn't disserve to look at him- on the other she was someone he really wanted to be friends with. a sweet, honest, smart girl.  
  
She turned at faced him with a bored yet hurt expression on her face. Then he started to panic.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Brandee tapped her foot impatiently. Should she stay there and wait for them to resolve whatever it was between them? Or should she go over there and kick that guy's ass? Looking around quickly, she made up her mind and started toward where her best friend and her obvious ex-boyfriend left.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"I'm s-" Draco started. He struggled a bit more with the word but when he couldn't seem to get it out he started again, "What I said was a little-" Pause, "I didn't mean-" pause. Hermione crossed her arms, "I just want to apol-" pause, "Damnit Granger! You're not making this any easier!" he complained.  
  
Hermione smirked, "I'm not supposed to be."  
  
Giving up on the apologizing thing Draco changed the subject, "Why didn't you tell her? I thought she said she was your best friend," he paused, "I thought you said the Duteous Duo were your best friends!"  
  
Hermione shifted uncomfortably and looked away. "They are," she explained, "But Brandee's my best *normal* friend."  
  
"So then why won't you tell her what you are? I thought you liked bragging about your smarts," he smirked.  
  
"What do I tell her? 'Oh yeah, and I'm the smartest witch in my school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.'? I don't think so. Number 1 she'd send me off to the loony bin and 2. The key word in our normal friendship is *normal*."  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"And why'd you have to go and make a scene? All I asked was that you behaved for once, but no! You had to make me cry and use the words I don't know how to explain to her!" Brandee heard May yell at her "French" friend.  
  
"I said I was s- so- sor-" he shook his head once again. This was impossible. And why the fluck (Can you tell I'm trying not to curse too much?) was he apologizing to the mudblood?! His father would have his head! "Why don't you just tell her what it means? And why don't you tell her about your best friends while you're at it too?" Draco snapped at her.  
  
"I couldn't tell her those things, Malfoy, and you know it!"  
  
"Why not?" he challenged, stepping closer.  
  
My took a step closer, getting right up in his face and whispered, "Because if she got hurt because of me I'd kill myself."  
  
"Please do anyway! Save us all!" he growled at her. He didn't even see it coming, but he felt it. She slapped him hard across the face with all the strength she could muster.  
  
"Witch!"  
  
"And the best God damn one you'll see!" she yelled back. *Witch?* Brandee thought, but didn't process that thought. "I really don't give a shit (oops!) that you think you're better than me because you're a flucking pureblood! At least I don't follow the dark side! At least I don't have to be scared my *master* will Avada me or- or Crucio me! At least I get to use my own free will! At least I'm on the side that'll win!"  
  
"Like hell it'll win!" Draco said. He paused to think, but not too long, realizing that he just outed himself. They were practically chest to chest (except that Draco's taller) now. "We don't have stupid laws to abide by. We don't have to fight clean. We'll win and I'll just watch you get tortured and laugh!"  
  
Brandee knew exactly what would happen next- you see it all the time in the movie. They were both breathing hard with anger- emotions flying around through the charged silence. (Can you guess what happens next?)  
  
May took Draco's face in her hands and kissed him hard, yet with so much passion that you'd think they were lovers not enemies.  
  
It was then that Brandee had time to process everything she'd heard. May was a witch?! Okay, she could deal. She was trying to protect her from the "dark side"? Yeah, that's okay. She knew how to defend herself. But she was other best friends?!  
  
Brandee fainted.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
So, how was it? Sorry it took so long to update! I'm having so much trouble in school! Sorry if it sucked but I wrote the beginning when I was in writers block so it was hard. Please review!!!!!!! 


	6. Arguements

Disclaimer: If I owned them I wouldn't be writing this for ff.net would I?  
  
Stranger at my door  
  
Hermione and Draco broke apart in a hate when they heard a THUMP. Hermione looked thoroughly disgusted, "Why the fuck did you do that?!" she shouted at him. Draco just stared at her confused.  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"You- you- *kissed* me!" she accused.  
  
"What the-" he muttered to himself. "Have you gotten a sudden case of amnesia or something? *You* kissed *me*!"  
  
"I did not! Why would I do that?!"  
  
Draco smirked, "Probably because you couldn't resist the Malfoy charm any longer."  
  
Hermione snorted, "As if you had any *charm*!"  
  
"Then why'd you sleep with me?"  
  
"You *slept* with him?!" a voiced sounded next to Malfoy and Hermione.  
  
Hermione whirled around to find Brandee getting up from the ground. She had a look on her face that was between disgust, awe, and disbelief. Finally it settled on disgust and she continued, "My *God* May you're only 15! Or did you lie about that too? Just like you lied about everything else?"  
  
"I didn't lie," Hermione answered, confused. "And I *didn't* sleep with Malfoy! I would *never* sleep with him!" she turned to him, "You hear me?! Never! I hate you and I wish you were dead!"  
  
His faced changed from hurt to hate in a blink of an eye. "Likewise, mudblood," he sneered at her.  
  
Hermione huffed and walked away. Draco glanced at Brandee and their eyes met. Then, she too, walked away. Gritting his teeth, Draco stormed off in the opposite direction- ran into a fence and turned around and went the other way. All the while muttering something about "father."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N- Sorry about that part where he walks into a fence, but I put I fence there before, therefore he couldn't walk through it- and I didn't feel like going back and changing anything so he just walked into it. Sorry. And I'm sooooo sorry it's so short but I'm surprised I got this much done with the amount of homework I have everyday! Now I have to figure out what to do, because the chapter wasn't supposed to go like this but my characters are just too stubborn!  
  
Hermione the Best: Thank you so much! I'm glad I caught your interest with my story! (does that make sense?)  
  
F0xyness39- I'm glad!  
  
Someone- sorry about that! I couldn't really think of what to put there. I'll try to explain something or other in the next chapter!  
  
hyper_shark- yep, May is Hermione. I didn't mean to confuse anyone with that! Sorry! I'm updating as fast as I can but I'll try to update faster! I think I have a better idea of what's going on in my story now so .. [Prays that what I say is true]. I'm hoping to be writer faster.  
  
Elle-poohbear- Thank you!!  
  
Hestia- The explanation comes later in the story! You'll just have to wait. [grins evilly] 


	7. AN and apologies!

A/N- sorry about the delay but this isn't a chapter! I accidentally put a chapter from my OTHER story in this one. This was where it was and since I don't know how to delete chapters I'm just putting this author's note here. Truthfully you don't have to read it, I'm just babbling and saying how sorry I am. I'M SOOOO SORRY!!!! I didn't mean to confuse people! Okay, buh bye now. 


	8. Imaginary People and a Scary Mind The ri...

Disclaimer: Maybe if I say it enough times it'll come true. I own HP characters. I own HP characters. [shakes head] nope. well I guess I don't then.  
  
A/N- OH MY FLUCKING GAWD!!! I'm so sorry everyone! I musta spaced when I updated cuz I uploaded the wrong chapter!! I'm sooooo sorry!! [kicks herself] Now I feel stupid.. Please don't hate me! Here's the real chapter!!  
  
Stranger at my Door  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Imaginary People and a Scary Mind  
  
"Hermione plopped down on her bed and buried her face in her pillow. *It smells like Draco.* she thought to herself automatically.  
  
"You bastard!" she yelled at an imaginary Draco that appeared in front of her window. She flung her pillow at him as hard as she could but Imaginary Draco disappeared before the pillow hit it. *Oops* she thought as she watched her pillow fly out her *opened* window, plunging toward the ground.  
  
Looking around the room, she was suddenly bored. Bored and majorly pissed off. Her best friend, ahem, *one* of her best friends, was mad at her, her father was a mess, an asshole yes, but still a mess, and she was scared for her fragile looking mother's life.  
  
Without think about it, she got out her sketch book and pencil. Whenever she had to sort out her thoughts, get them it order, she drew. Drawing and writing were two things that always helped her.  
  
But today she knew it was a big mistake when she saw what she had just drawn. Draco. As if drawing him alone wasn't bad enough- he was hanging from a tree. A shiver ran down her spine as she stared at it.  
  
*I have to get rid of it. Burn it.. Something.* she thought franticly. Yet no matter how hard she tried to get herself to ruin it, she couldn't bring herself to do it. It seemed such a shame to ruin such a good piece of art. It may be disturbing and even a little scary but it was still good. Looked exactly like him.  
  
Hermione snapped the book shut. *I have to hide it then. I have to hide it where no one will find it.* she thought. Lifting up her mattress, she put in between the two.  
  
"Perfect," she said aloud as she stood back to look at her handywork. No one would be able to tell. Smiling, she fell backwards onto her bed.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Draco was walking (more like something between swaggering and stalking- swalking?) across the Grangers' lawn when something white flew out their second floor window and barreled toward him. Before he could move it hit him and exploded into a shower of feathers. It hit with such force, it knocked him down.  
  
He sat up pulling feathers out of his hair. He stood off and coughed, pulling feathers out of his mouth too. Draco growled. It was probably that mudblood bitch trying to get him back. After thinking this he glanced up at her window and swalked (LOL) off into the sunset (not really, I just think it sounds cool).  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
a/n- I know this chapter is just as short as the last one but I'm trying, I'm trying!!! Please forgive me [gets down on knees and starts bowing]. I am not worthy. I am not worthy. [notices wut she's doing and stops, looks around, gets up, straightens tie that's not there, and continues]. anyhoo, I'll try to get the next chapter up soon! Love to all!  
  
Natasha- Thank you, thank you! That's basicly what I'm trying to do. Truthfully, it can be difficult at times!  
  
Hestia- Thanks for the support! Good luck with your story, I hope you find inspiration soon so you can continue for all those loyal reviewers of yours!  
  
Hyper_shark- Like I said: I'm trying I'm trying!! It's so hard to keep up with friends, family, schoolwork AND ff.net!!! I'll try to make the next one longer!! But thanks for the praise!  
  
Akuma Kanada no Tenchi- The ants shan't rule! It's the ducks! The dux will take over the world, with me as their queen! Mwahhahahaha!!!!!!! [cackles evilly and runs off]  
  
Aiya- Phew! Glad I'm not the only one that understands what its like to get like 5 billion hours of homework! Lol. I'm probably gonna have some time to write next week tho, cuz we have Columbus day off! Thank the gods!!!  
  
Shibbydragongirl- Um. thanks I think. I don't understand wut you meant about grasping at straws, but thanks for liking my story!! Heehee!  
  
Tropical flavored yama- muchas gracias!!! Thank you so much!! Wow! [does little dance] now I'm happy!  
  
And to those who haven't reviewed..... Review or I'll set the rabid ducks after you!!! Mwah ha ha ha ha!!!  
  
~*Ragazza Doulce*~ 


	9. An owl and an Answer

Disclaimer: Maybe if I owned them they would cooperate with me!  
  
A/N- Okay, I know the last couple chapters have been really short, so I'm going to try to make this one a little longer, k?  
  
Stranger at my Door  
  
Chapter 8  
  
An Owl and an Answer  
  
Draco growled at the group of kids giggling at his feathers. He didn't think he could wish he had his wand with him any more than he did that minute. He hated the muggle world. He had to do too much work and there was that stupid no-magic law. Plus he didn't have any house-elves! What kind of house doesn't have any house elves?!  
  
Draco smirked... well, maybe Weasel's house didn't....  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Hermione was happily daydreaming about seeing Ron again when something fly through her window and crashed straight into her wall. "Pig!" she cried out, running toward the tiny owl, who was now happily flying around the room. "Pig come here!... . PIG!!!"  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"What are you doing here?" Mari half growled at her husband.  
  
"Isn't the correct question, 'Are you okay?'" he asked her.  
  
"I told you to leave. I don't want you here," she continued, ignoring him. Dan, who sat on the kitchen chair, slumped over.  
  
"I'm sorry, Mari," he whispered. He shook his head, "I don't know what happened last night. I'm sorry. . ." Dan looked over at where the telephone still lay, broken and smashed, "Did I do that?" he asked her, eyes closed, looking like he was praying the answer was no.  
  
Mari pursed her lips, "Yes."  
  
Dan let out a long sigh. "I know I've been a little. . . different lately. I'm really sorry. Can you give me another chance?" he stole a glance up at her, "I love you Mari. And Hermione, too! I love you and Hermione more than life itself. You have to take me back."  
  
Mari glanced at him. Big mistake. He looked up at her, eyes big and pleading and instantly her heart melted. "Of course I will!" she told him.  
  
He just smiled and pulled her into a weak embrace.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
It took a while to catch Pig but finally she got the letter unattached (which was hard 'cause he wouldn't stop squirming) and opened it.  
  
Hermione,  
  
I miss you terribly! Harry's here. He arrived yesterday and we're both dying to see our best friend! Can you come to the Burrow? Please owl us as soon as you can.  
  
Hope to see you soon,  
  
Ron   
  
Hermione smiled brightly. *Maybe there is a way I can get out of the hell.* she thought hopefully as she pulled out an owl treat from her desk, preparing to give it to Pig.  
  
Too late. He was already flying mercilessly around the room, nothing could stop him! Sighing, she put the owl treat back in her draw and darted toward the kitchen.  
  
"Mom, I was-" she froze halfway in the kitchen. "I guess they're back together." Hermione mumbled, grimacing slightly at the sight before her. Her mom and dad kissing. She was glad they were back together and everything but did they have to be so. ugh.?  
  
Hermione shuddered slightly and turned to leave but stopped. Seeing her parents like that made her miss Ron more than ever. Suddenly she couldn't wait any longer to ask.  
  
"Ahem," she cleared her throat, tyring to get her mother's attention.  
  
Mari pushed away from Dan quickly, trying to fix her ruffled hair. "Yes, Hermione?" she asked blushing sheepishly.  
  
"Ron owled me today," she started. At her mother's 'what's-the-point- of-this' look she continued, "He wants me to go to the Burrow for the summer."  
  
Her mom glanced at Dan nervously. "Harry and Ginny'll be there too," Hermione added quickly. By the look on her mom's face she started getting a little nervous. What if they said no? It was her last chance to escape this hell!  
  
"Isn't that friend boy, Draco, here?" her father questioned. She nodded.  
  
"What, so you think we're going to take care of all your responsibilities? I don't think so. You have to learn to do your part around here too, Hermione," Dan told her, tempers flaring (from parents, just blow 'em off and keep going, not takin' nothin' from no one-)  
  
"You don't take all my responsibilities! If anything *I* take yours! You have no right to tell me I can't go! I *deserve* to go!" Hermione protested, furiously.  
  
"Don't speak to your father that way, Hermione May," her mom told her sternly.  
  
Usually Hermione would've just whispered sorry and agreed to her punishment, but today was different. Today was a matter of getting out of the house to keep her sanity.  
  
"Speak to him like what?" she challenged her mom, "You mean he can speak to me like that but I can't to him? You mean he can hit you and get away with it?" "Herm-" "No!" she shouted, "Don't say anything! Don't explain because, truthfully, I don't really give a fuck anymore."  
  
With those last words she stormed up the stairs to her room. The tears started to fall even before she got to her room.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N- Ha Ha!!! I made it longer than last time! Go me. go me. okay, I'm hoping to have the next chapter out soon but I'm not sure. So sorry, so sorry! That little parenthesis was just lyrics from an Eminem song. I just remembered that song as I wrote that part and couldn't resist putting it in! Love to all,  
  
Lena- They're starting to ease off the homework a little because many MANY parents complained, and I'm HOPING it stays that way! So, I should be able to update soon if this blasted writer's block leaves!  
  
Hyper_shark- Thanks, I'll work day and night to get the next chapter out! I promise!  
  
Shibbydragongirl- Oh, okay. Wow, thanks! Did you really think that was funny? Now my day is perfect! I made it into drama club and someone thinks I'm funny! Woo-hoo!  
  
Aiya- Aren't you proud of me? I came up with that all by myself! Hehe.  
  
Becky- I'm trying with the fluff but I don't wanna make it happen to fast. But now I'm stuck cuz I was gonna make it soon, but that was before the last chapter came out and I screwed everything up royally. And the next chapter you'll DEFFINATELY hear from Ron. I'm hoping to make it something interesting that'll twist the plot, but it'll most likely just be another owl. Oh yeah, and Ron was in this chapter, wasn't he? Yay. Go Ron! Redheads rock! Anyway.. I'm starting on my next chapter so no need to worry. I hope.  
  
And to the reviewer that left no name: Thank you!  
  
And thank you to anyone else that reviewed, if I missed you! I haven't checked to see if I have any new reviews cuz for SOME reason it is now restricted. [glares at hyper_shark and parents] lol  
  
And the random tip of the day is.. Don't let squirrels attack your pumpkin!! (I got the random tip thingie from my chorus teacher.. Not the actual TIP tho. that'd just be weird.lol)  
  
~Ragazza Doulce~ 


	10. No more miss nice girl

Disclaimer: Alas, I am no closer to owning them as I was before..  
  
A/N- Sorry about not updating but I was over my friend's for the weekend. Got the crap scared outta me by that chainsaw.but w/e. maybe I'll tell you about the haircut we got by the chainsaw at the end of the chapter..  
  
Stranger at my door  
  
Chapter 9  
  
No more Miss nice girl.  
  
A soft knock came from Hermione's door. Before she could tell her to go away though, her mom stepping in almost shyly.  
  
You have to forgive your father. He's tired and sick from the cold," Mari reasoned with Hermione.  
  
Hermione picked her head up off her pillow. "You're always doing that!" she accused, tears running down her face. Mari, looking startled by her outburst, asked, "Doing what?" "Protecting him! Sticking up for him!" she yelled, "Oh, he's had a tough day, forgive him.' 'The taxes are due, forgive him.' Or 'He's had a hard day at work, forgive him.' Ma, you do the same thing as him! How is it that you, who has more and harder patients, still comes home with a warm smile and a hug, while Da comes home bitching and moaning and throwing temper tantrums?! And every time you tell me to forgive him and I do! Not anymore, though, I'm done! You can stay and die but I'm not. I'm out of here," Hermione finished. She took a deep breath and added, a bit more calmly, "I'll be leaving for the Burrow tomorrow."  
  
Mari, who was still shocked speechless, just blinked. After about two minutes of blinking she said, "I'm sorry, honey, but I can't let you go. Your father-"  
  
"Bugger him!" Hermione interrupted.  
  
Mari gave her a stern look and Hermione tried her hardest to gain back some of her self control. "I'd let you go if Draco wasn't here, dear, you know that. But his is. I'm sorry."  
  
With that as a closing statement, she turned and left the room, leaving her daughter on her bed, letting her tears flow.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Draco walked for what seemed like forever before he realized he had no clue as to where he was going. *As a matter of fact,* he thought looking around, *I don't even know where I AM.* He'd thought all he'd done was walk down the road a bit, but as he looked around he saw that this couldn't be true. He must have crossed some streets and turned on others. He couldn't even remember any scenery to get by on. To make matters worse, he seemed to be heading towards more Muggles and stranger contraptions.  
  
Draco sighed and continued toward nowhere in particular. All he could think was, *This is all Granger's fault.*  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Hermione got off her bed, her face streaked with dried tears. She was done crying. All her frustration, sadness and disappointment seemed to melt into one emotion. Anger.  
  
Anger at her mother for sticking up from her father. Anger at her father for being such a jerk. Anger at Draco for just *being*. And anger at whoever created this screwed up world.  
  
She made her way to the bathroom and washed her tearstained face. With it, she washed away the remaining love and sympathy for her father, her weakening tears, her ability to trust, and her heart. All the things people had done to her, all the times they'd taken advantage, all came flooding back to her in one big wave, making her stumble a bit. When she'd steadied herself, she only felt one thing. All she felt was the need for revenge. She knew she had to find Malfoy, yes, but she would get her revenge. Even if she had to wait years. That was something she could pride herself on. Her patience.  
  
As she looked at her reflection she couldn't help but think, *this is all Malfoy's fault.*  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N- Okay it's almost one in the morning now so I'm going to sleep. I just wrote that whole chapter! Go me! I suppose I'll post this in the morning. Please review and tell me if this is any good. I'm just letting my pencil flow. Sure it's screwing up my plot and characters, but that all! Sorry it's so short, again. Some day I was find time and patience to make a longer chapter. But until then, Hasta luego!  
  
My friend and I went to this haunted hotel thing and this chainsaw guy came after us and we ended up huddled in the corner, screaming! Plus my friend's hair got caught in the chainsaw! It was mad scary but now that I think about it, it's mad funny! Hehe.  
  
Lizzypotter13- I hurried, I hurried! And thanks bout not judging me on the language. it kinda slips when I write sometimes!  
  
Nazagul13- No! ur wrong! The ducks will peck the foxes!! They'll wait and plan until the exact right moment.. Then.. BAM! They attack! The dux will rule the world forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh and about the *s. sry but I don't know how to do the italics and stuff but if someone could tell me I'd be very VERY happy!! Thnx!  
  
Coffee-trap- I think inspiration is coming to me right now, thnx! I better hurry up and finish these thank-you's before it leaves!  
  
Hyper_shark- [bows] thank you, thank you  
  
C- It's coming it's coming! I'm pretty sure it's in the next chapter! If not then, then the chapter after that  
  
Gerhpfa- She's not leaving! See? I wouldn't do that to my poor story! I've already screwed it up enough! Yes, this IS a dr/herm. story!  
  
Becky- look, ur on one of the bottom thingies again! Go you! And thanks for the tip! lol  
  
Dracoluva99- Isn't Eminem the coolest?! You're story's awesome! Sorry, I didn't have time to review.  
  
Aiya- Yeah! Awards for all the inventive ones! Hehe. shino. hm. not bad!  
  
~Ragazza Doulce~ 


	11. Mysterious Feelings

Disclaimer: Raise your hand if you think I own them. [raises hand and looks around and sees people staring]. or not..  
  
A/N- Hey Hey! Look, we're in double digits already! Woo hoo! Oh, and for the readers' sakes, I'm vowing to try my hardest to cut down on the swearing, on request. [sighs] Sorry, about that. but she's an angry girl. and girls when angry (I know from experience) tend to use a couple (or more) swears.. Or maybe I'm the only one here.. Well, on with the show!!  
  
Stranger at my door  
  
Chapter Ten [does little dance]  
  
Mysterious Feelings.  
  
Two hooded figures dressed in black robes, sat Indian style in a dark room. They held hands and in the middle of them was a candle. The two chanted softly, gradually rising in volume, with their voices candle's flame rose higher.. . . higher... Until suddenly it diminished and they stopped chanting.  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
Hermione jogged out her door to look for Malfoy. She'd gotten changed to fit her mood, a habit she seemed to have picked up somewhere or other. She wore a black tank top with a black net shirt with the shoulders cut out, under that. Her black pants were baggy so you couldn't see her shoes underneath.  
  
"Come out, come out, wherever you are," Hermione muttered to herself. "Malfoy..."  
  
Slowly she walked down the street, following the trail of feathers. She smirked to herself, thinking about what he must've looked like after getting hit with the pillow. How the feathers must've gotten stuck in his soft blonde hair. how his beautiful icy ices must've looked when he saw the pillow coming.  
  
Hermione shook her head, trying to literally shake the thoughts out of her head and the smile off her face. She had to stay focused. Where would she go if she were him? *I'd go find the nearest gun and shoot myself in the head,* she thought to herself, *But he doesn't know what a gun is.*  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Draco stalked down the street. He knew he was attracting attention to himself, but he thought, being the over egoistic male that he was, that they were just staring at him for his devilishly good looks. He walked down the street as if the whole world should look up to him, yet in the mean time he had no clue how utterly ridicules he looked. I mean, who WOULDN'T stare at someone walking down the street trailing white feathers?  
  
"!@#$!" he yelled loudly as he hit his shin on an ugly looking statue on the corner of a road. (See the story 'We'll Always Have Paris') He glared coldly at an old lady giving him a disapproving look.  
  
"Malfoy."  
  
He stumbled, once again swearing softly to himself, as he heard a sing-song voice say his name. How did they know his name? Was someone spying on him? He stopped suddenly when he realized that that voice was Granger's. Draco looked around searching for her, half relieved that she'd found him and half annoyed that she decided she wanted to play hide-and-seek.  
  
"I know you're there, Granger. You can come out," he called out into the crowd, walking slowly and looking around for Granger. When he still couldn't find her he called again, "Granger!"  
  
Yet, this still did nothing but cause more people to look at him strangely. He shook his head thinking that maybe it was all in his head. Maybe he didn't really hear her. A smaller voice kept saying, 'Maybe you just wished you heard her.' But Draco firmly ignored that thought as his rumbling stomach talking.  
  
"Malfoy. . ." it said again. His head whipped in the direction he thought it was coming from so fast that he almost got whiplash. It was no use, her voice seemed to be coming from every side.  
  
"Hermione!" Draco yelled again. Now people were steadily backing away from him, thinking that maybe he'd escaped from the mental ward. Stomping his foot a little he starting getting irritated, "I said-"  
  
"We all heard what you said! If your girlfriend didn't hear you yet, she ain't going to!" a skinny, tall boy about his age interrupted. Without thinking, he grabbed the boy by his shirt and shoved him into the brick building.  
  
"She's not my girlfriend," he growled menacingly at the frightened boy. Draco was a strong young man (that makes me sound like an old person, doesn't it? Calling Draco a 'young man'. hehe), and the poor boy he attacked was more of a lanky kind of kid, "Do you even know who I am?" he continued, "I'm a Malfoy. And you don't want to mess with a Malfoy. I swear to whatever's listening that if you EVER show such disrespect to me again you won't live to-"  
  
Distantly while he was talking, Draco heard someone say, "That's him! Right there!" However, he didn't pay any attention to this until he felt himself being pushed from the side. He fell hard on his elbow, stunned. The surprise wore off quickly as a man in a uniform tried to restrain him (He was now kicking and flailing about). He tried to reach for his wand but his hands were caught and put in a metal trap, binding them together.  
  
"Calm down, son," a women in the same type of uniform soothed.  
  
"Don't call me son. You're not my mother," he snarled at her. What was going on? How did all this happen? He was confused and scared, making him very snappy.  
  
"Stand up," the male commanded gruffly.  
  
"I don't have to take orders from you," Draco spat. The man just yanked him up as reply. Getting his wits together, he realized what was going on. He learned about these people in Muggle Studies! They were like the Ministry of the muggle world. Knowing what he would do if this was the ministry, he turned on his charm.  
  
"This is all just a big misunderstanding, officer," Draco started, putting on his best 'so-sorry' face* and flashing the female officer his most dazzling smile.  
  
"Yeah, sure, and I'm your fairy god-mother," the male officer sneered, rolling his eyes.  
  
"Really?" Draco said with mock hope in his voice, "How many wishes do I get?"  
  
"Just shut up and walk." He just did as he was told, waiting for the right moment to reach for his wand. Draco watched as the female made her way to the car. He tried to drag back a little so there would be enough distance for him to do whatever he needed to do without getting the other officer involved. A swift memory charm would do the trick. Now all he needed was a distraction.  
  
As if on cue, a car ran a red light and the officer's attention was diverted to yelling at the contraption as if the passenger could hear him. Draco took this moment to dive in his pocket for his wand, hoping that the trap on his wrists wouldn't make it too difficult to do the wrist motions. Fortunately for him the officer wasn't very bright and cuffed him with his arms in the front, not the back.  
  
Unfortunately for him, the officer caught his sudden movement and snatched the wand away before he could do anything.  
  
"And what were you going to do with this- this- STICK?" the officer asked him, tossing it back and forth from one hand to another. When Draco made a grab for it, the man snatched it away chuckling slightly. If this had been normal circumstances, Draco would have gotten it with his eyes closed, but with his hands bound together like that it was extremely difficult. "Is it a childhood toy, maybe?" the copper asked, mockingly. As if just to test its durability he practiced bending it. "Oops," he said as it broke in two, acting like it was an accident. Of course Draco knew that wasn't true. Truthfully, he wasn't sure how the man had done it. That wand had the best quality; it could have withstood a stampede of hippogriffs.  
  
Yet it broke. And as it broke, he felt every ounce of power he had, float away like mist in the wind. He was devastated.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Hermione walked down her street. "Malfoy. " she called again, in the kind of voice you'd call a kindergartener. Then without reason, she felt annoyed. Assuming it was just her bottled up feelings making their way out, she ignored it. But the anger that she felt came in a sudden rush, so fast it almost knocked her off her feet. The only thing she could do to keep it in check was to start running.  
  
Closing her eyes, the started sprinting down her street, letting her legs take her where they wanted. Everything was going fine, the running kept her from bashing someone's head in. Then all of a sudden it stopped with a feeling of surprise and confusion.  
  
"Ow!" she muttered to herself, coming to a halt. I must have hit my elbow on- but she stopped when she opened her eyes and saw there was nothing near her that she could have hit. Still, her logical mind wouldn't give up and she pushed it to the back of her head. She still had an intense sense of confusion and she was sure if it was coming from her not being able to figure out what she hit her elbow on, or not being able to figure out where the feelings were coming from.  
  
Hermione started walking again as she had a sudden sense of realization, like she just figured something out. If this were a cartoon there'd be a light bulb over her head. The only problem was... She couldn't figure out what she'd figured out.  
  
Yet, even in her confused state, she still felt like she'd figured something out. And she was strangely.. proud.. of it? She didn't know anyone who had such a strong feeling for one's self. Well, except for Malfoy. That self-centered prat.  
  
Soon her, or someone's feelings of pride, died down a little and the feelings of anger came back. Finally letting herself believe that all this meant something, she gave herself over to everything. She cleared her mind and let her legs walk, not interfering.  
  
But Hermione had to stop for a minute and take a deep breath. Her eyes widened at the immense feeling that washed over her. For a second she thought she was going to pass out so she bent over, taking another deep breath. It felt as if every single fiber of her being was just squeezed out like a sponge. Every ounce of magic was trickling down a drain. She was left there standing, bent over, feeling empty. Like there was no more hope.  
  
Like she was surrendering.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N- I don't know how much sense this chapter made, because I didn't have time to plan out what I was thinking, I just wrote, hoping that I'd get everything in the right order. Personally, I like this chapter better than my last one. And just think, I wrote this all in one day and guess how long it is? The story was 4 WHOLE PAGES!!! Yay! It's my longest resent chapter! I'm so happy [sniffle sniffle]. Now I just need your feedback to tell me if it sucked or not. Oh and look! I didn't have ONE swear word in there! I bleeped it out because I wanted to try to get through at least one whole chapter without so much cursing. Oh and the * came from 'Gotta Kick It Up' you know. 'I put on my best so-sorry face...' Okay, buh bye now!  
  
Peace!  
  
Thanks to:  
  
Dragon guardian of the Sea- Sorry if I lost you, I hope you're found again!  
  
Becky- their'll be hr/d soon don't worry! [mutters to self and erases whole plot and starts over] lol  
  
Hyper_shark- not sure if that was good or bad but thanks for reviewing!  
  
C- I know, that chapter was a little misleading due to the fact that I didn't want it to turn out that way. But I'm hoping Draco can get to Hermione before it's too late!  
  
Dracoluva99- Mmm-hmmm!  
  
Unicorn777- Thank you!  
  
Nazgul13- No! The ducks will rule because THEY have aligned with the bees who will all attack yours simultaneously!!! Ducks will never fail!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Remember.. REVIEW!!!!  
  
~*Ragazza Doulce*~ 


	12. Who is that boy?

Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, I would be happy as a. as a.... as a... um. as happy as something that's happy! But I don't, and I'm not. So there!  
  
Stranger at my door  
  
Chapter 11  
  
Who is this boy?  
  
Somewhere deep in the back of her brain, her logical voice came out, 'These aren't your feelings. They can't hurt you.' So gathering up as much strength as she could muster, Hermione looked up and gasped at what she saw.  
  
She saw Malfoy- no Draco- standing there staring at what used to be his wand. This wasn't Malfoy. Malfoy never looked like Draco looked that moment. He looked almost on the verge of tears. Like nothing mattered anymore. Malfoy's never cry, as Malfoy himself told her once in school.  
  
But this wasn't Malfoy. This was Draco. And Draco was different than Malfoy. He could cry. He could laugh. He could smile without smirking, or make a joke without insulting. He could make Hermione's heart leap when he smiled.  
  
Hermione shook her head almost violently. No. She had to keep her goal in focus. She had to remember what she wanted. And what she wanted was revenge. Yet, Hermione was still Hermione. She couldn't just leave someone who needed help.  
  
So, pushing those feelings away, she took a deep breath and straighten up, feeling tired from the effort it seemed to take. But she still pushed on. She would help him no matter what it took. He was her responsibility. 'And he looks so lost,' Hermione told herself, her eyes softening as she looked upon the boy. No longer did she see the arrogant, self-centered prat she was used to, but a lost little boy in a teenager's body.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Draco was so wrapped up in his swirl of emotions (plus he kept getting this keen sense of confusion he didn't know where it was coming from), that he didn't feel Hermione's eyes on his back until, "Draco!"  
  
He turned quickly at the sound of her voice. "Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you!" she said, coming up to him and wrapping him in a hug. When she pulled away he eyed her suspiciously, trying to figure out what her plan was.  
  
Hermione gave him a look saying, 'just play along' and he his eyes widened slightly at realization of what she was doing.  
  
The officer cleared his throat. Hermione turned around, pretending to be surprised by the presence of the cop, "Oh! Officer, may I help you?"  
  
"Yes, your boyfriend over here needs to come down to the station with me please," he informed her.  
  
Hermione laughed a little and said, "He's not my boyfriend, sir, he's my brother." Draco was a little shocked at that response but he'd grown up to learn how to hide his emotions. "And why does he have to go to the station?" she asked, worriedly. If Draco hadn't known she was acting he would've had no clue that she wasn't actually feeling this way.  
  
"He attacked that young man over there," the officer told her, pointing to the freckled boy who was talking to the female officer. Hermione glanced over at Draco a second, then pulled the cop away to speak to him.  
  
"Well, officer... You see, my brother...well, he has this small mental illness. He hit his head a couple weeks ago and well, as you can see, he hasn't been quite the same. He really shouldn't be out of the house. It's my fault, I was supposed to be watching him.." She trailed off, with tears in her eyes.  
  
The officer's face softened and he replied, "It's okay, miss. As long as you make sure he doesn't do it again."  
  
Hermione's face instantly lit up, "No problem!" she told him and bounced away, quickly pulling Draco away with her.  
  
"What'd you tell him?" he asked her curiously.  
  
"I told him your father was a death-eater that would come back and kill him if he didn't let you go," Hermione said was a straight face, looking straight ahead. Draco's face paled visibly.  
  
"Are you daft?! What'd you do that for?" he cried at her. Hermione looked up at him and started giggling. "What's so funny? You're going to get us all killed, you know!"  
  
At this statement she started laughing harder, through the anger that had surfaced. "Y- y- you be-believed me?!" she stuttered between fits of laughter. Even Draco couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from lifting, at the realization that Hermione wasn't serious. Soon he was laughing right along side of her.  
  
"You stupid, stupid, girl," he tried insulting, but he was laughing so hard it didn't seem to have any effect on her. In fact, it seemed to have the exact opposite effect. At that moment, seeing Hermione with her face lit up with laughter, tears spilling down her face with the setting sun shining on her face, he knew he felt something for her. Whether it was respect, adoration, or even something.. More... he knew right then that he wanted to feel her in his arms.  
  
Seeing that Draco stopped laughing, Hermione stopped too and looked up at him. He had this far-away look on his face, like he was thinking of something completely wonderful. "Draco?" she asked, wanting to know what he was thinking. All he did was say, "Shh." and place a silencing finger lightly on her lips. Her heart did an involuntary flutter and she held her breath, waiting for what she knew was going to happen.  
  
Draco leaned down, his face coming closer to hers, yet at the same time it all seemed to be happening in slow motion. All Hermione could think about was, 'Come on, come on, just kiss me.' Then there was the other half of her saying (or more like yelling), 'What the heck do you think you're doing?! Stop! Run! Anything!'  
  
Needless to say, that part was instantly shut up when their lips met in a soft kiss filled with everything good that you should have in a relationship. Respect, adoration, passion and something else....something Hermione couldn't quite place. All she knew was that she liked it. And she wouldn't mind more of it....  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
The officer stood rooted to where Hermione left him last, watching the two escapees. His eyebrows rose when he saw them kiss and he thought, 'That's one screwed up family they got there..'  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N- Soooooo? How was it? I personally like it but that's just me. Please, I need feedback! Now I have to go study for my History test. REVIEW!!!  
  
THANK YOU EMMA FOR BEING MY 100TH REVIEWER!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Emma: It's technically not Draco's fault but if you hated a kid for years wouldn't you just blame it on him? Remember, Draco said the same thing about Hermione. Yeah, I know, I felt bad about writing that..  
  
Sila-chan: Sorry, Draco didn't get locked up. that comes later in the story [smirks] and don't worry, I'm hoping the fill the holes as the story goes on. But right now I need to get my head straight and reread EVERYTHING I wrote! Ragazza means Sweet in Italian.  
  
DracoNmione: Sorry that this is confusing you! It should be explained more as the story goes on but I'm having some trouble right now, as you can probably tell.  
  
The Dragon Guardian of the Sea: Draco is okay!! There is no need to worry! I hope this chapter helped a little but I know it didn't. chapter 13 is probably around where it starts making more sense. I hope. I'll sent out detective to have you found, hope you don't stay lost long!  
  
myranger419(lol. Becky): You'll find out later about that. Yeah, poor Draco!!!  
  
Draco'sAmericanGurl: I'm continuing! Thanks!!!!  
  
~*Ragazza Doulce*~ 


	13. Things Change

Disclaimer: I own them. I yeah, and pig are flying now. [rolls eyes]  
  
Stranger at my Door  
  
Chapter 12  
  
Things change..  
  
Hermione sank into his kiss felling as if the whole world was perfect. All her troubles, feelings, everything, just melted away, leaving nothing but the wonderful feeling she felt right then. As she kissed him back she felt. she felt. a feeling she never experienced before. it was.. It was..  
  
Hermione jolted back, breaking contact. With one glance at Draco, with wide eyes, she turned and started walking fast away from him, ignoring the sense of confusion she felt.  
  
Draco stood there for a second, confused. What just happened? He just kissed Hermione?! AGAIN?! Yes, he did. and he liked it. He liked HER.. No. wait. she just walked away from him?! WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!  
  
"Hermione," Draco called, catching up to her and grabbing her arm. She yanked her arm away and started walking again. "Hermione, stop it. Hermione!" Trying his hardest, he swallowed his feelings and just followed her back to the house.  
  
~*~*~  
  
When they got to the house, Hermione ran it her room and kicked the door closed as she flung herself to her bed. Draco caught the door before it shut and locked.  
  
"You don't walk out on a Malfoy like that you know," Draco growled before he could stop himself.  
  
Hermione lifted her head out of her pillow and glared at him. Okay. that wasn't the smartest thing to say. he thought to himself.  
  
"That's not what I meant to say," he started over, "I meant-"  
  
"Get out," Hermione whispered menacingly.  
  
"Not until you tell me why you walked away from me," he said stubbornly.  
  
"Enol aem ev eal!" Hermione said, waving her wand. Draco flung back out of her room, the door slamming after him. She put a locking spell on it and lifted up her mattress to get her book. She closed her eyes and drew, half knowing what it was going to look like.  
  
That is... until she opened her eyes and saw. Her eyes widened and she slammed the book shut and once again hid it.  
  
Hermione squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath, knowing what she had to do. Trouble was, if she did it would she feel relieved?.. Or disappointed?  
  
She put a hand on her pounding had. "I need time to think," Hermione said to no one in particular. "Thank you, Captain Obvious," she muttered to herself. She shook her head and laid down on her bed, staring at the ceiling and waiting for the owl from the Ministry.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Draco flew (quite literally) out of Hermione's room and slamming into the hallway wall. He slid down until he was sitting and growled, "Fine, bitch, you wanna play that game, I'll play that game," then added, "But I can't guarantee I'll play by the rules."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N- I know it was short, I'm sorry! I'll try to get the next chapter out soon! I'm not completely sure where in going though!  
  
Tears flow softly- Thank you, thank you.... Yet, I'm sorry to say that it might take a couple more chapters to get that back. It IS Draco and Hermione. They don't always mix well.  
  
Michelle- I'm writing, I'm writing!! Thnk you!  
  
CrystallineLily- I know, isn't he? And seriously, I think all officers (or most...not all) are that dense! If my town can get away with Mischief Night, they MUST be!  
  
Draco'sAmericanGirl- Sorry you're in trouble! Hope you're not anymore!  
  
Lana- Merci!!!! (That just about all I know in French though...)  
  
Nazgul13- Yeah, and that's why the ducks got away!!! [cackles evilly] The ducks are smarter!!!!!!  
  
C- I'll try my hardest to get Draco and Hermione back together again.... Uh- oh... What if they're like Humpty Dumpty???  
  
Crazyme89- Thank you! I'm not usually praised for being funny! Wow...Such a new feeling...  
  
Jubliations- Gosh darn... thanks a whole bunch! lol. Thanks!  
  
Dracoluva99- Thanks, I'll try to see if I can find a middle point for the swearing...lol...Draco? An angel?! Haha!  
  
The Dragon Guardian of the Sea- lol, I'm sooooo glad!!! [shutters] . . . Families. . . should NOT be THAT friendly. . .!!! 


	14. Don't do the crime if you can't do the t...

Disclaimer: Nope, not yet.  
  
Stranger at my Door  
  
Chapter thirteen  
  
Don't do the crime if you can't do the time.  
  
"We will not fail you, Master. Especially now that we have her father," a familiar voice spoke. He was in a black robe, with a hood covering his face. It was no question who he was talking to. It was Voldemort.  
  
"Good," Voldemort hissed. "And the others?"  
  
"Where she goes, they will follow. There is no need to worry, My Lord," the voice assured him. "Good," Voldemort repeated.  
  
~~*~*~*~*  
  
Hermione woke up with a start. 'I must've fallen asleep,' she thought. What was that about? She wasn't the one that was supposed to have the dreams, that was Harry! She had no doubt over what they were talking about. They were talking about getting Harry. But the question was: Was that just a regular dream? Or did it mean something? Not that she believed in any of that psychic rubbish but-  
  
"If it meant something, I suppose my father-" she didn't even finish her sentence before she ran out of her room and down the stairs. She almost ran into Draco on her way to the kitchen.  
  
Ignoring the dirty looks he gave her, Hermione continued past him and to the kitchen doorway where she stopped. Her dad was sitting there talking to her mom. She sighed with relief. She was so happy about her dad being there that she didn't really notice the looks her parents were giving her. Not until it was too late to turn around and run, pretending she was never there.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Draco got up and made his way to the kitchen, limping down the stairs. He felt dizzy and was rather scared that he might have a concussion. 'All the better,' he thought to himself as he walked (or limped) into the kitchen.  
  
"Or dear!" Mari cried out when he entered the room, "What happened?"  
  
Dan eyed him worriedly but did not make a move to get up. Mari gently touched the back of his head and he winced. "What happened, Draco?" she asked him in a soothing voice.  
  
Before he started his story, though, he put on a frightened face. "She's evil! A witch! I'm telling you the truth! A witch," he pretended to rant. Mari's face paled. "She-she- attacked me! I didn't do anything! All of a sudden I was flying into a wall!"  
  
His knees gave out and Mari helped him stand, bringing him to a chair. Draco summoned tears and cried as he continued, "She went crazy. She was pointing a stick at me and- and- she held me in the air. It felt like someone was choking me! She's evil!"  
  
Mari, trying to get her posture back, said, "Draco-"  
  
"You probably think I'm crazy," Draco said, smiling slightly, "And maybe I am! What was I thinking? It must all me in my head... I've gone mad.. Mad..." he continued muttering to himself and bit and Mari glanced worriedly at Dan.  
  
"Draco...sweetheart, we don't think you're crazy. Do we Dan?"  
  
"Of course not," he answered gruffly, but honestly. It wasn't going to say anything now, not after all he went through to get his wife back, but Hermione was going to pay for this. Damaging someone so valuable. Was she insane?  
  
"Draco dear, why don't you go lay on the couch for a bit?" Mari told Draco in the form of a question yet wanting a certain answer. Draco muttered sure, knowing that nodding his head would make him so dizzy he's fall out of his chair. With some effort, he made his way across the kitchen.  
  
"What are we going to do, Dan?" Mari asked her husband worriedly, "Do you think he's telling the truth?"  
  
"Yes," he answered in a voice that was shaky with anger. "He wouldn't lie. That's below him."  
  
"You act as if you know him," Mari said. Shaking her head she changed the subject back to the one that it should be on. "What should we do? We can't just leave her up there. But we can't just tell her that what she did was bad."  
  
"She should be punished. We haven't done that enough raising her. She needs to learn the limits," Dan told her, after he calmed enough to sound like it was the most obvious thing to do, yet not sounding angry enough to make her think of HOW he would punish her.  
  
Mari, slumped over a little in her chair, her head drooping, and agreed, "For once, you're right. I hate to admit that maybe my daughter isn't the angel we think she is....."  
  
Dan knelt next to her chair and embraced her, "It's okay, love. You didn't know."  
  
When they looked up Hermione was standing in the doorway, looking relieved. But in a second her eyes went from relief to fear.  
  
~*~*~  
  
"I told her she couldn't go," Mari told her husband, looking almost sad.  
  
Dan nodded in acknowledgement. "Good," he said, with no emotion on his face. He didn't want to talk about this anymore. It was dangerous ground.  
  
"She's really upset," his wife pressed. His temper started but he calmed himself before he did something stupid.  
  
"No matter how much she bitches and moans, she's not going to get her way! Not this time. She needs to learn who's in control here," Dan's voice gradually got louder and louder until he was yelling. He took a deep breath to control himself. This never happened for IT happened. He always had control over his temper.  
  
"Well, Dan, who IS in control? Is it you? Or is it both of us?" Mari asked, her voice giving away the anger hidden behind it. Dan knew better than to try to talk to her when she got like this.  
  
He waited about five minutes then took Mari's hand in his and said in a quiet, soothing voice, "I'm sorry, love." When she didn't respond in any way he tried again, "How about I take you out to a nice dinner?"  
  
"Daniel Granger, if you think bribing me with food is going to work- !"  
  
"It's not a bribe," he smiled slyly, "Don't you remember what today is?"  
  
Mari gasped. "Oh Dan! How could I have forgotten?" Mari cried and threw her arms around him.  
  
"Happy Anniversary, darling," Dan whispered into her hair. They broke apart and started discussing the dinner plans when Draco walked in.....  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"Hermione," her mother started curtly, "What did you think you were doing, attacking a harmless boy like him? Do you know how much trouble you're in right now, young lady?"  
  
Hermione stared at her with wide eyes. HE TOLD HER?! she thought furiously to herself. She stopped worrying about her mother's wrath, though, when she glanced at her dad. Her mother continued her scolding but Hermione didn't hear her as she watched her father. His eyes were lit with a furious flame and when he didn't say anything she started getting scared. She'd rather have him yell and scream at her now than let it build up and explode later when she didn't expect it.  
  
Mari paused for a second to catch her breath as an owl flew through the window and dropped a letter on the table. Hermione cautiously picked it up and read it:  
  
Miss Hermione Granger:  
  
We have detected un-authorized magic usage in your home and are sorry to inform you that if it happens again you will be expelled from Hogwarts. Please owl if there is a problem.  
  
Minerva McGonagall  
  
Head Mistress  
  
Hermione paled and held it out for her mother to read it. Mari sighed, "Hermione, I was thinking of punishing you, but due to the fact that this may very well bring your chances of Head Girl down, I think it's enough of a punishment."  
  
Dan's eyes flashed dangerously but Hermione ran out of the room before he could do anything. She bolted out of the kitchen and to her room, not even closing her door behind her. Franticly she started going through her dresser looking for her diary. On the front was a picture of her, Ron, and Harry, which she'd taped over the original muggle boy band (A/N- [shudders] lol) picture. She held back her tears as she wrote everything that seemed to be going wrong. Not to mention the fear she had from her suddenly changed father.  
  
Hermione looked up to see Pig still flapping around the room. Suddenly she had an idea. Ron and Harry could come and get her. They could save her!  
  
In an instant Hermione was at her desk and reaching for her parchment.  
  
Ron,  
  
My dad's been acting strange lately and he seems really mad right now... I know, he's never hit me before but I think he might do something after what I did. Please come get me!   
  
Hermione glanced slightly at her door when she head footsteps on the stairs. She quickly started writing again:  
  
Please hurry though. I think he's coming! I love-  
  
Her head whipped around quickly when she heard someone behind her. Just in time for Dan's fist to collide with her cheek. She knocked into her desk, spilling her ink all over, some of it getting on the letter.  
  
Pig, somehow sensing that something was wrong, took the letter and flew out her window with all he was worth.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N- WOO HOO! That was one of my longest chapters yet! I think........ [shrugs] whatever, I'm happy! I was more reviews than I thought possible! [does little dance] Go me. go me. lol. Thank you everyone!  
  
Thank you's :  
  
Kyra Potter: They should calm down a little shouldn't they? Hmm... I'll look into that... Oh and thank you so so so so much!  
  
Hestia: I agree, but if everything was all fine and dandy what fun would that be?  
  
Draco lover: Poor Draco will have to survive. Well, he's not supposed to be using his wand anyway, but since when do Malfoys follow the rules? Is this long enough? I tried! Thanks!  
  
sweet_tessi_girl@hotmail.com: I'll try to have it out soon! Really? I actually never thought so but I thought- what the heck, might as well try!  
  
JA: I will! Glad you like it!  
  
Dragon Guardian of the Sea: 911! 911! Please find this girl! We've lost her! This is the one where Draco's the "exchange" student, remember? With Hermione's muggle friend Brandee and stuff? Hope that helped find you! I've been reading your stories, I really have! If I haven't reviewed, sorry, but I thought I did....hmm... I'll make sure to review next time!  
  
Dragon Girl: Thank you, thank you!  
  
Dracoluva99: Hope this chapter was up to your standards... Golly they're high aren't they? I hope I can oblige (I can't spell).... Okay, I don't even know what that means and I'm just kidding.... Can you tell I'm dead tired? THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!  
  
Draco'sAmericanGirl: Eek! ALWAYS? Doesn't that really suck?! I'll try to have the next chapter up soon and hopefully by then you won't be in trouble!  
  
Lizzypotter13:Wow! I have talent! Woohoo! Thank you sooooo much! You are now like my favorite reviewer! Lol. Just playing guys, I love you all! Thanks again!  
  
HpFre4k: Thanks, I will ASAP! 


	15. Feelings Just ignore em

Disclaimer: I don't know about you, but I'm sick of these things. Everyone knows I don't own them already!  
  
Stranger at my Door  
  
Chapter Fourteen  
  
Feelings suck....Just ignore em  
  
Draco casually walked up the stairs and peeked into Hermione's room. He paled at the sight he saw. Her own father was beating her- a defenseless 15 year old girl! He wanted to get her in trouble and all- but to make her go through this? Was it really worth it?  
  
He turned his head away from the horrid sight and took a deep breath. His father wouldn't want him to do anything. Well, except maybe help Dan. But that wasn't the point. He couldn't help her. No matter what that tiny part of his brain was screaming at him. After all, the other part of his brain (the one urging him to leave and pretend he was never there) had gotten him this far. He had everything he could dream of... right?  
  
Draco inhaled sharply and turned his back to the scene. In doing this, he was not only turning his back to a gruesome sight but to the one girl that would love him for him. Swallowing, he started down the stairs pretending that this revenge felt good. He shook his head, no he couldn't even pretend that convincingly. No matter.... It wasn't himself he had to convince.  
  
So he continued down the stairs, freezing his heart as much as he could...  
  
~*~*~  
  
Hermione glared at the door through her tears once her father left. She laid crumpled and bruised on her floor next to her desk. This was a nightmare...  
  
~*~  
  
"You think you're so great. You're weak, girl. And you've got no one to protect you."  
  
"If they knew, they'd be here! They won't leave me alone!"  
  
"Who? Your friends? Now that's a thought! Those two mesely little kids? I bet they're only your 'friends' because they feel sorry for you. Honestly, who in their right mind would want to be friends with a fat, selfish, know-it-all?"  
  
"They do!" Hermione cried out. "I'm not a fat, snobby, selfish, know-it-all!"  
  
He grabbed her by the hair, "Don't speak to me in that tone of voice, young lady." He let go of her hair, pushing her into her desk.  
  
Dan made his way to the door. "Just think of this as a warning if you ever touch Draco again," he told her over his shoulder. Then he was gone.  
  
~*~  
  
Hermione leaned against her desk and closed her eyes. They snapped open though, when she felt something drip onto her shoulder.  
  
"Shit!" she cried out, looking at the one section of her room. Her father- no- that man had ruined her room.  
  
~*~  
  
Dan pulled the comforter off her bed in a rage and knocked her glass ballerinas off her shelf. He broke everything in his way, but paused when he picked up her old baby blanket.  
  
He looked at her, wanting to watch her reaction. After he made sure her eyes were locked on the blanket, he tore it in half, not once taking his eyes off Hermione.  
  
Hermione turned her head away. The memories of everything she'd gone through with her blanket slid through her head. Her Grammy had given her that blanket when she was born.  
  
Tears filled her eyes but she would not let them fall. Not with this man around. She wouldn't give him that satisfaction.  
  
~*~  
  
Hermione didn't try to hold back the tears any longer as she picked up the remains of blankie. She glanced over at her desk wondering if she had any thread to sew it. Her eyes widened and she bit back a long stream of colorful words as she ran to her desk.  
  
The drip she'd felt was her ink. She looked over her desk and saw that all her parchments were ruined. All her summer homework!  
  
"Serves you right for leaving it out like that," she told herself. She felt around for the letter that she'd written to Ron. It wasn't there... "Probably just covered completely in the ink!"  
  
With that she blew it off and quickly, she ran to the bathroom to get something to wipe up the ink with.  
  
~*~  
  
Hermione bent down over the sink, running the water until it was nice and cold. She let out a breath as she splashed the ice water on her face. She looked up at the mirror and frowned. She placed her hand over her bruised cheek and winced. "I'll have to cover that up," she murmured to herself.  
  
BANG-BANG! Someone knocked or more like banged on the bathroom door.  
  
"Granger! Open the door, I need to take a shower!" Malfoy shouted through the door. BANG-BANG! "Do you not want me to take a shower?! Or are you crying?"  
  
Hermione whipped her head toward the door, surprised and yelled, "NO!"  
  
"No what? You don't want me to take a shower?! Fine, but you're the one who'll suffer. After all, you are sleeping with me."  
  
"No, I meant no I'm not crying," she clarified. She opened the door after quickly checking her reflection. "And you're sleeping downstairs tonight," she said and smiled as innocently as she could.  
  
Malfoy's eyes widened when he saw the bruise on her face, but quickly recovered, replacing it with a bored look. He put on a sarcastic smile and put his hand on the back of her head saying, "You're so funny!" She winced in pain and pulled away from him, starting to her room when he looked at her with worry in his eyes. He grabbed her arm, pulling her back to him.  
  
"We have to talk," he said.  
  
"About what, Malfoy?" she asked innocently.  
  
"About... you know..." he trailed off.  
  
"No, I don't...Maybe you should tell me," she said sweetly. Malfoy's eyes blazed with anger at being teased and his cheeks flushed slightly. Without warning to Hermione, he kissed her. For a moment, Hermione let herself melt into his kiss but then reality hit her. She was going out with Ron. What was she thinking, going around behind his back and snogging Malfoy, of all people!  
  
She roughly pushed him away. "What the-" he started but was stopped by Hermione's hand colliding with his face. "What was that for?" he cried, putting a hand to where she's smacked him.  
  
"I can't do this with you. I'm WON'T do this with you. You're just playing with me. You don't care about me!" she turned away, "Besides, Ron's my boyfriend now. I love him and respect him. I will not cheat on him." With those as parting words, she passed the shocked and enraged Draco, and went to her room.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N- Hey guys! Is it any good? Did I confuse you? I hope not, but I think I might have. Sorry if I did. I have a new friend and it's hard to find time to write now with everything going on. I now have to reserve days to hang out with separate friends. I already have my whole week planned out. Ugh. No alone time this week. So far tomorrow I'm hanging out with Angela, Wednesday I'm hanging out with Amanda, Thursday I have CCD and Friday I not only have drama but I'm hanging out with Jessica after that! Ugh! Now that you all know my schedule that I'm sure you don't care about, I'll just say that I might not update for a while. I'm sorry, I'm sorry!  
  
Thanks:  
  
Dude: It'll come! I swear! I'm just having a little trouble getting there! I do have snippits tho.. . but I swear it'll come eventually!  
  
Lizzypotter13: Wow! Thanks! I'll update again ASAP for all my loyal fans like you! lol  
  
Dracoluva99: o0o0o really?! Wow, I'm honored! Woo-hoo! Lol. What's your fic? Have I read it? I probably have but I'm too tired to think right now!  
  
Nazgul13: Wait. . . I'm a little confused. . . My ducks will not fail! Um. . . I can't think of a reason right now cuz I'm still trying to understand what you wrote. . . lol.  
  
DemonWitch666: o0o0o thnx! You like me, you really like me! [tear tear] lol  
  
Crazyme89: That's good enough for me! Hope you get back up soon!  
  
DancinBlondegurl: Look! I updated!  
  
Black Dragon: Thank you, thank you!  
  
Maxoid: thnx!  
  
Glenda the owl: long is good right? Thanks!  
  
The Dragon Guardian of the Sea: Don't mind Draco- he is, after all, Draco. lol. I'll look into that story. . . lol. "Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!" lol- do you know that one? 


	16. As Day Two Comes to an End

Disclaimer: I'm getting kinda tired of saying this.... I don't own the Harry Potter characters are anything else! I do own Brandee and Lamar though!  
  
Stranger at my Door  
  
Chapter 15  
  
As Day Two Comes to an End  
  
Hermione looked out her window and watched the sun as it set. 'And day two comes to an end...' she thought to herself. Turning away she retrieved her diary.  
  
'Dear diary,  
  
So much can happen in two days. My whole life seemed to change in these 48 hours. And it's all his fault. If he hadn't come here nothing like this would have happened. Now my best muggle friend hates me. Not only that but my dad... my dad is starting to scare me.  
  
He hit me today. Because of what I did to Draco-'  
  
Hermione blinked a second and erased 'Draco,' replacing it with 'Malfoy.'  
  
'It's not like it hurt him, either! But a minute after I went to my room Daddy- no, he's not my father- came up here and he hit me. It hurt, Diary, it really hurt!  
  
Now the only people I can rely on are Ron, Harry and myself. No one else can be trusted.  
  
Hermione May Granger'  
  
Without looking it over, she closed it and hid it.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Draco, being very hungry, very bored and feeling this feeling of upsetness (is that a word?) and anger, wandered into the kitchen. He scrunched his nose in confusion at all the strange looking objects in the room. When he was at home he never really went into the kitchen. His father was always telling him that, "Kitchen's aren't good enough for you, boy! They're for the house-elves to slave in, not my son."  
  
His stomach growled and he suddenly wished that he'd learned what everything was. After all, he was starving. Shrugging he started toward the cabinets and draws opening and closing them. He took out a butcher knife and stared at it admiringly. What did they use this for? Certainly they didn't torture the muggles with it like his father? Shrugging again he put it on the table and started searching the refrigerator.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Hermione opened her eyes with a start as something furry rubbed itself against her. "Crookshanks!" she cried hugging her cat. "Finally decided to come home, have you?" she asked it, scratching its ears. The Grangers let the cat roam around as it pleases, so you never know when it'll come and go. "Well, I'm glad you came back. I was getting upset having no one to talk to," she told Crookshanks. Crookshanks nuzzled her and leaped from her arms running out of the room towards the kitchen.  
  
~*~*~  
  
"What the hell?" he muttered to himself, pulling a cat shaped something-or-other from the fridge. He shrugged and placed it on the table, figuring it had to be made of something edible. He might as well try it. Draco picked up the butcher knife and was about to chop the vegetable into smaller pieces when a cat clawed him, hissing. Draco kicked the cat out of the way, muttering, "Damn fur-ball." Crookshanks huddled under the table hissing and meowing at Draco as he raised the knife to stop chopping. "Damn it!" he mumbled as the lights went out. "What do you have against me eating?" he cried out softly toward the ceiling. Hail started hitting the windows and he watched quizzically. "What the hell?... It was clear skied out a couple minutes ago," Draco wondered out loud. The question he kept to himself was: Is this a natural storm? Or is it from Voldemort? Shrugging it off, he continued his chopping while Crookshanks hissed.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Hermione sighed and got off her bed slowly, upon hearing a strange hissing sound. "It sounds like-" her thoughts were cut off as the sound of hail caught her attention. "Didn't I just watch a beautiful, clear sunset a couple minutes ago?" she wondered to herself. Thinking about this, she started toward her stairs. Hermione froze at the top of the stairs and watched horrified as a figure chopped mercilessly at what looked like her dear Crookshanks. Her hand shot up toward her mouth as she heard her cat meow angrily as the knife came down again. Feeling sick, she bolted for the bathroom.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Hermione splashed cold water on her face in hopes that it would make her feel better. For the second time in one day she stared into the mirror, water dripping off her face. "Maybe," she said to herself, "Maybe this is just a dream. I'll wake up and everything will be normal- no Malfoy, no dead cat-" Just as the words escaped her mouth, she bent over the sink and was sick.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Draco laid the knife down and stared admiringly at the now chopped vegetable thingie. In a split second he went from feeling perfectly fine to horribly sick and he ran to the sink. He leaned over the kitchen sink and took a deep breath. "What was that?" he asked aloud. Figuring it was just the heat, he put some cold water on his face and looked up at the window. Only when he looked at the window it wasn't his reflection staring back at him. It was Hermione Granger's.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N- I am so so so so so so sorry it took so long to get this chapter out AND that it's so short. I've had no time to write and on top of that I had a mild writer's block! I got a boyfriend and- well I bet you don't care so I'll just finish up saying that I'm hoping to get the next chapter out sooner than this one.  
  
Thank you: 


	17. Traitor

Disclaimer: The chances of me owning Harry Potter are as much as the chances of pigs flying!!!  
  
A/N- There was some confusion about the last chapter. I hope that this chapter makes everything make more sense! Thanks for the patience everyone!  
  
Stranger at my Door  
  
Chapter 16  
  
Traitor  
  
  
  
Draco stumbled backwards, but when he looked at the window again it was only his reflection. Only Draco Malfoy. Draco sunk down onto a kitchen chair and put his hand through his hair. "I must be going mad."  
  
~*~*~  
  
Hermione took a deep breath and stepped out of the bathroom. Red eyed, she walked shakily to her room.  
  
"I need to talk to someone." Hermione said to herself, but suddenly remembered that there was no one around that she COULD talk to. Sighing she laid back on her bed and cried some more.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Draco tilted his head at the sound that appeared to be crying. 'Is Granger crying? I thought she NEVER cried,' he thought to himself. Just as he thought that, tears of his own sprung to his eyes. Before he knew what was happening he was full out bawling also.  
  
"Why the hell am I crying?" he practically yelled in between gasps. Wiping furiously at his eyes he got up and went up to Hermione's room.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Hermione sniffled a bit and fell into a fitful sleep.  
  
~~*~~"Are you sure it'll work, Master?" a cloaked figure asked someone or something in a chair. Hermione strained to get a look of the person in the chair but found that it was useless.  
  
"Yes I'm sure it'll work. Especially now that we have that spell in works. There is no doubt we'll get them this time," a raspy voice answered the figure. The one in the chair started to laugh but it sounded more like nails on a chalk board than a laugh.  
  
Hermione screamed and the heads whipped toward her, both pairs of eyes glowing red. ~~*~~  
  
Hermione woke up with a start just as Malfoy came to the door.  
  
Before she thought about it she asked, "What's wrong with you eyes?"  
  
Angrily Draco took her by the shoulders, "What did you do?!" he yelled.  
  
In a flash Hermione remembered the kitchen. "MURDERER!" she accused.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Draco asked coldly, not letting go.  
  
"YOU KILLED MY CAT!" Hermione yelled and burst into tears. Draco looked at her funny.  
  
"What?"  
  
"YOU KILLED CROOKSHANKS!" she was now hitting his chest with her fists and crying. Draco grabbed her wrists to hold them still and actually started LAUGHING. "WHAT THE FUCK IS SO FUNNY ABOUT THIS?!"  
  
Draco pointed at the door and started laughing hysterically. Hermione turned around and gasped. "Crookshanks?" she whispered as her cat strolled in the door, very much unharmed. Suddenly she too started laughing.  
  
A couple minutes later they were both on the floor starting to calm down. Hermione was about to jump up, realizing how close they were, but Draco lightly grabbed her wrist halfway up.  
  
"I don't know what happened. I admit that. But I'm sorry," Draco said softly, not breaking eye contact.  
  
"Hey, the cat thing was totally my fault," she answered.  
  
"I wasn't talking about that and you know it. Don't play dumb, Granger, it doesn't fit you well."  
  
Hermione's eyes skitted to the floor. "Yeah well..." she trailed off as Draco's hand moved up from her wrist to her cheek. She swallowed and closed her eyes, this wasn't supposed to happen. He was supposed to leave her alone. He was supposed to hate her so she could go back to normal. She opened her eyes again.  
  
But as he sat up she realized that things would most likely never be the same. He was getting closer and she felt paralyzed. All she could do was stay there and wait. Hermione could feel his breath now-  
  
"Hermione?" a familiar voice called from behind. It was-  
  
"Ron?" she turned around. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"We came because we thought you were in trouble. But seeing as you seem perfectly fine with HIM, I guess you're not," he sneered. His tone of voice was angry but Hermione could see in his eyes how hurt he was.  
  
"Ron, I-"  
  
"I thought I could trust you, Hermione," he glanced at Draco, "I guess not."  
  
"Ron, it's not what you think!"  
  
"NO!" he interrupted. Hermione shrunk back, frightened. Ron took a deep breath and turned around, "I have to go. And I'll tell you one thing- I'm sorry I EVER loved you." With those words he was out the door.  
  
Hermione turned to Harry, who had stood unnoticed at the doorway. "Harry-"  
  
Harry just shook his head and said so quietly that she almost couldn't hear it, "You betrayed us." Without another word he too was gone.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N- Does everyone understand that now? Draco never killed the cat!! He was chopping up that vegetable thingie and Crookshanks was under the table! That's why she heard the sounds because it was hissing from UNDER the table. And to the person who thought Hermione was outside (Sorry but my internet isn't working at the moment as I'm writing this so I can't do individual thank you's) Hermione wasn't outside. He just saw HER reflection instead of his own. Sorry to confuse you!  
  
If this chapter stinks I'm really sorry but my writer's block is still here but I think it's going away.  
  
Thank you to everyone who reviewed! I love you all!!!!!  
  
~*Ragazza Doulce*~ 


	18. Unexpected Visitor

Disclaimer: What does the word disclaimer mean anyway? Well. anyway. I disclaim owning them! Haha!  
  
Stranger at my Door  
  
Chapter 17  
  
Unexpected Visit  
  
Hermione spun around toward him so fast that he was surprised she didn't get whip-lash.  
  
"You," she said, pointing, "This is all YOUR fault!" The anger was coming off of her in waves.  
  
Draco's eyes returned to ice as his eyes met hers. "I didn't ask for this any more than you did," he countered, feeling the same anger. He knew he had to get out. If he didn't he might do something he regret. Something his father would do.  
  
"Where do you think you're going?!" Hermione demanded.  
  
"I'm leaving," he growled. He didn't know why he didn't just kill her. Maybe it was his father's plan- or maybe, just maybe it was because he couldn't. Not because he didn't know how, but because he didn't want to.  
  
"No, I'm leaving," she said stubbornly and ran out the door.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Hermione was furious. So furious that she forgot about everything. About all the fun events, about her sketch diary, about her parents. All she could remember was the distrust of her best muggle friend, the pain in her boyfriend's eyes and the disbelief in her friend's. Then there was the evil smirking face that she risked it all for.  
  
All these things flashed past her eyes as she ran down the stairs. The memories blinded her as she bolted outside into the storm.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Draco stared at the door where Hermione had just been and stood up. He turned toward her bed just as his father appeared. Draco flinched but instantly regret his action.  
  
"Was that a flinch, Draco?" Lucius said, emphasizing the word 'flinch.'  
  
"No father, you're seeing things in your old age," Draco drawled, his heart colder than ice.  
  
In a flash Lucius's wand was out and Draco was on his knees in pain.  
  
"How dare you disrespect me, boy!" he said in a dangerously low voice and stared him straight in the eye.  
  
Draco matched his stare but closed his eyes as another wave of pain coursed through his body. Lucius saw this as a surrender and put his wand away.  
  
"We've been watching you," he said coolly as if nothing had happened. Draco grimaced inward but showed no emotion outside, just stood up and prepared for what he knew was coming. "And we like your idea." Lucius turned his back and started pacing, a new plan forming in his head. Draco just stared at him in disbelief.  
  
Lucius whipped around, pointing and Draco's expression was back to his normal bored look. "I always knew you were a smart boy! I raised you well." Draco snorted but Lucius didn't catch it. "How you got sloe to her and made her believe you cared was impeccable! Things would have been twice as easy for us if that Weasley hadn't gotten involved. But I like how you isolated her from everyone. Now that her friends hate her, there'll be no one for her to turn to except you! And when she does you can just laugh at her as you hand her to us!" Lucius stopped, slightly out of breath but continued, "I'll tell you, at first you had us worried, but we see what you're doing now. Brilliant, my lad, brilliant!" His expression hardened, "Just remember that in the end you have to hand her over so don't get too attached," he sneered.  
  
With those last words he was gone.  
  
Draco sighed and slumped onto the bed.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A/N- I'm sorry it took so long! I haven't been able to think lately!! And I reread my last chapter and I've realized that it sucked so I'm sorry for that too! I hope this one is better. Please review!!!!!!!!! And THANK YOU SOOO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO HAS!!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	19. The Accident

Disclaimer: My imaginary friend told me that I owned Harry Potter. . . Just found out he was lying!!! So sadly, I still do not own them.  
  
Stranger at my Door  
  
Chapter 18  
  
The Accident  
  
Draco looked out the window to see Hermione running.  
  
"I suppose I should follow the bitch," he said aloud for his father- but inside he was really hoping that she was okay, even if he was pissed at her for ruining his life.  
  
~*~  
  
"Hermione!" he called into the raging storm. When there was no answer he called again but didn't step out the front door. "Make me ruin my hair and get wet doing a servant's work," he muttered to himself, angry at the world for everything. For his father and his new "plan," for Hermione and her sparkling golden eyes, and for just having to come to this damn place in the first place.  
  
He murmured a long stream of colorful words before stepping into the storm, calling her name once more.  
  
~*~  
  
Hermione turned her head. She furrowed her brow when she saw nothing- she could have sworn she'd heard her name.  
  
"No, why would anyone be looking for me? They all hate me. I'm alone now."  
  
Hermione tripped coming off a curb. It was so dark that you couldn't see anything. You had to rely on feeling and hearing everything.  
  
She turned her head again. Now she KNEW she'd heard her name! But she was well away from her house. . . surely Draco wouldn't come looking for her. . . She threw her hands up in frustration, resulting in tripping again. Why did she care if he looked for her or not? The point of leaving was to get away from him. Besides if he found her she'd just run again.  
  
A harsh laugh escaped her lips, coming out strangled before more tears added to the wetness of the storm.  
  
She felt this frustration inside herself. It was one of those strange feelings- the ones that she was convinced weren't her own. There was a hint of something else too. . . what was that? Worry. . .?  
  
No, that couldn't be it. She was alone, remember? She was alone and she liked it that way. It would give her more time for her studies. And she wouldn't have to worry about being killed by Voldemort because of Harry.  
  
She choked back a few more tears at the thought of her best friend. After regaining her posture she had convinced herself that it was better to be alone. She'd convinced the outside of her at least. . .  
  
~*~*~  
  
Draco squinted in the darkness to find Hermione. In a flash of lightning he spotted her in the road. Blindly, he stumbled toward where he'd seen her.  
  
~*~*~  
  
"Hermione!" she heard. It was close this time and when she turned she saw Draco in the light from the lightning. She turned and ran but was blinded by a different light not caused by the storm. Hermione turned to see a pair of headlights barreling blindly toward her.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Draco watched helplessly as a big metal object on wheels (a car right?) sped toward Hermione. He wanted to run and push her out of the way but his legs were paralyzed with fear. In horror his knees gave out. He didn't see it but he still heard every sound. Her screams cut short, the squealing of tires and yells of the driver. He wasn't sure which was worse seeing everything that went along with the sounds. . . or the fact that he hadn't and everything was left to his imagination.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A/N- haha! I'm leaving you here! I was going to make everything one chapter but I decided to split it in two because I'm just so evil. Mwah ha ha ha ha!! Tell me if you like it!! Love to all! lol  
  
~*Ragazza Doulce*~ 


	20. Waking Up

Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN THEM!!!  
  
Stranger at my Door  
  
Chapter 19  
  
Waking Up  
  
Hermione woke up in a bright white room. She looked around groggily with her head pounding. There were two windows in her room. One lead to outside and one lead to the waiting room. She could see her mom in the waiting room crying. Her father was comforting her but looked annoyed as if she'd been crying for days.  
  
She could see her Aunt Shelley and Uncle Sam, Aunt Miranda and Uncle Dan, Aunt Alexa- everyone, it seemed, was there. But where was - ?  
  
"We were wondering when you would wake up," a familiar drawl greeted her. But underneath that drawl she heard a hint of worry and relief which surprised her beyond words.  
  
"What do you mean?" she managed to ask.  
  
"I mean you've been unconscious for 3 days." Pause. She could tell by the way he stopped that he wanted to say something. She didn't push him because she knew that he would say whatever he wanted eventually. And frankly, she didn't care if he didn't say it- even if he did sound slightly worried before.  
  
So she crossed her arms (ignoring the pain in her stomach), pursed her lips, and watched the outside world. It was so sunny- so happy. It was so different from that night 3 days ago.  
  
"What the hell were you thinking?!" he burst out. Hermione's eyes widened in surprise. She had expected something to the likes of, "Why didn't you die?!" or anything with the word 'mudblood' in it.  
  
She studied his eyes, determined to read his feelings.  
  
"You could have been killed!" he yelled at her. Not "You weren't killed!" but 'you could have been killed.' He sounds like he's my father or something, she thought suppressing a giggle. Then reality hit her. He was worried about her. He CARED. But he couldn't! She was alone! She liked being alone!  
  
"What were you thinking?" he repeated softly and stroked her cheek. She flinched. She hadn't noticed that he'd gotten so close.  
  
She broke, "I don't want to be alone," she said and started crying. "I don't want to be alone. I don't want to be alone," she repeated through her tears.  
  
Draco pulled her into his arms. She clutched his shirt and cried into his chest.  
  
"You're not alone," he whispered so softly that she couldn't be sure that she'd actually heard it, "You've got me."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A/N- There you have it! A little bit of fluff- I hope you liked it! I'm so sorry it was so short, I should have the next chapter out a lot sooner than this one took! So sorry! Review!!!!!  
  
~*Ragazza Doulce*~ 


	21. Bad News

Disclaimer: Why don't I ask you this time? Do I own Harry Potter and other characters?? If you answered YES then you are WRONG! BUT I LOVE YOU FOREVER!! Lol. If you answered NO, however, you are correct... [glares] but I cannot guarantee that I will like you. Lol I'm just kidding! I love all of you that read my junk!!!  
  
Stranger at my Door  
  
Chapter 20  
  
Bad news  
  
Hermione's eyes began feeling heavy and she was soon asleep. Draco looked down at the girl in his arms and smiled slightly.  
  
"Oh!" Mari gasped when she entered the room. Draco jumped up with surprise, dropping Hermione back on the bed. She groaned and Draco was instantly hit with a wave of guilt.  
  
WAIT! Guilt?! Draco Malfoy?! He sighed. There was no use. He looked down at his shirt. It was still damp with Hermione's tears. Or maybe it was the water from his melting heart. If his father knew-  
  
"Draco, dear, are you okay?" Mari asked him concerned.  
  
He put a hand on his head and muttered, "I don't know."  
  
"What, hun?" Mari asked not hearing him.  
  
Draco look at her as if just realizing she was there. "I am fine Madame, merci," he replied, straightening up. He looked at her and saw the tear stains on her face.  
  
He couldn't stop himself before he asked, "Are you?"  
  
She sucked in a deep breath. "As well as I could be considering my daughter was hit by a car and unconscious for three days."  
  
Draco nodded. That was reasonable. "What did zee doctor say?" he inquired with his French accent.  
  
"Dan's talking to him now," she told him gesturing toward the window.  
  
Draco watched as a smile crossed Dan's face. "Well it must be good news." he mumbled. He looked over at Mari. She was sitting beside Hermione, stroking her hair.  
  
'She's so pale compared to Mari,' Draco thought. She shouldn't be that pale if she's okay, should she? What was going on?  
  
That second Dan came in. He didn't look nearly as happy as he did in the waiting room. In fact, he looked on the verge of tears.  
  
"Honey..." he began, "the doctor said...there's nothing he can do. She is internally bleeding." Dan bowed his head. Draco's heart felt like it had stopped.  
  
Mari looked up at him with wide eyes. "What?!"  
  
"She's going to die, love," he told his wife softly.  
  
"Oh!" she cried and flung herself into Dan's arms crying.  
  
"Dying?" Draco whispered. His voice seemed so small in the room, silent besides Mari's sobs. 'No. no no no no no... she can't be...' How would this affect the plan? Is what the tiny molecule of MALFOY was saying. But Draco was saying, "I'll never get to tell her-"  
  
"Get to tell her what?" a cold voice interrupted. Draco jumped, not knowing he was speaking aloud. But like last time he regret his action.  
  
"Who are you, boy?" Malfoy senior snarled. Draco didn't answer. Truth was- he didn't know who he was. Was he Draco Malfoy? By name yes...but really...his old thoughts and beliefs no longer agreed with his heart. Strange really. Draco getting a heart, I mean. Or perhaps he always had one.  
  
"You sure aren't my boy," Lucius stated. Draco straightened up.  
  
"Of course I am, father," he responded with the best "I-am-a-muggle-hating- Malfoy" impression he could manage. Sure, he was pretty sure he'd never be that boy again- only god knows what had gone on in his head those few days with the Grangers - but he didn't have to let his father know.  
  
Lucius prowled around him. After making a complete circle around him he stopped, getting into Draco's face. "No. You are not," he shook his head. Lucuis smelled him as if Lucius had been a dog and sneered, "I can smell her on you."  
  
Draco rolled his eyes, although inside he was shaking hard with fear. "Of course you can smell her on me, you bloody git. I've been trying to get "close" to her, have I not?"  
  
Lucius had his wand out in a second and Draco was struck with "Crusio!" He scrunched up in pain but did not give Lucius the satisfaction of screaming or falling to the ground. Not this time.  
  
The pain subsided and Lucius smiled. "Now there's my boy," he stated. Draco looked at him through the pale blonde hair covering his eyes. "My boy," he repeated evilly.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: it was short, I know!! I'm having so much trouble with everything lately though! I'm sorry! Forgive me?? lol. Review! 


	22. Dream

Disclaimer: [asleep] JK Rowling: I hereby hand over all Harry Potter characters to this wonderful author. [wakes up, looks around, sighs] Nope... not real. Just a dream. Darn it, I guess I don't own them... yet...  
  
A/N- I've updated! Finally! I'm so very sorry everyone who's been waiting! There's been a LOT of things that've gone on. But I know, that's no excuse. Bad me. So sorry. Well.. Here it is!  
  
Stranger at My Door  
  
Chapter 21  
  
Dream  
  
Draco looked around. His father was gone, but where were Mr. and Mrs. Granger? They must've left when father got here, he thought. His gaze trailed to Hermione. Was she really going to die? How could this happen?  
  
A salty ball rose up in his throat. For a second he didn't know what was happening. "I'm crying," he realized. It'd been so long since he allowed himself the luxury of tears. Well.he thought back to the day he had been crying for no reason, a long time since he had a reason to cry. And to think his reason was a mudblood.  
  
He gazed at Hermione, through his tears, willing her to open her eyes. As if she had heard him, her eyes opened and she peered at him.  
  
"So sad..." she whispered. "My heart feels broken."  
  
He smiled a tiny smile, the corners of his lips quivering slightly. "That about describes it," he said softly to no one in particular.  
  
"Harry and Ron didn't come, did they?" Hermione asked even though she knew the answer. Draco shook his head. Hermione paused, thinking. "Am I okay?"  
  
He paused, trying to decide whether or not to tell her the truth. "The doctors said....they said you'd be just fine," Draco told her, his voice faltering at the end of the sentence.  
  
"You're a horrible liar," she said with an attempt at humor in her voice, but she was unable to keep it from shaking.  
  
He bit his lip and looked down, nodding. "I know." He watched as the emotions flickered in her eyes, a different one every second- pain, fear, denial- until finally it settled on acceptance.  
  
"I guess.I guess this'll be what finally teaches me my lesson," Hermione looked at him through tear-filled eyes. "I'm just sorry I had to learn it so late."  
  
Draco felt the sadness tug at his heart as a tear slipped from her eye. "What lesson, love?" he asked her, holding back the urge to wrap her in his arms. After all, he'd had a lot more time than she had to realize his love for her. The whole three days he spent waiting for her to wake up he tossed the idea around his head. But she hadn't known or done any of that.  
  
"I learned that it's stupid to hold petty differences against someone because if you do, it can lead to hatred."  
  
Draco's expression fell from the tiny bit of hope he had. So she did hate him.  
  
He looked up at her in surprise when she reached for his hand. "And sometimes," she continued. "That hatred can keep you from the love of your life."  
  
Draco felt a smile spread onto his face and tears spilling from his eyes. He cupped her chin and kissed her gently, before he could even think of who might see.  
  
"When did you . know?" Draco wondered.  
  
"I had a dream. . ." she muttered. He couldn't help but smirk, just slightly. "Not that kind of dream, pervert," she said smiling. He nodded in the "sure-if-you-want-to-pretend-that" kind of way, enjoying seeing her beautiful smile again.  
  
"I saw you," Hermione started, suddenly serious again. "I saw you in the waiting room. But I. . . I was you. No. . . I wasn't you.. . . because I could see you as if I was just floating there in the middle of the room. But I could hear your thoughts almost as if they were my own." She shook her head. "Maybe it was just a really weird dream. It sounds crazy."  
  
"No. . . It doesn't sound crazy," he reassured her, dazed. "Um. . . what were my thoughts?" he asked, then blushed kind of embarrassed to be asking.  
  
Hermione tried to sit up a little and winced, laying back down again and taking a deep breath. "You were. . . worried about me," she said, staring down at her hands. "And. . . You were . . . I don't know. . . fighting with yourself. About your feelings about me."  
  
When she looked up at him his eyebrows were furrowed, but like always his emotions were almost completely masked.  
  
"I know, it's stupid," she repeated, looking down again.  
  
"Hermione," he said, his voice horse. "Hermione, look at me. I don't think that was really a dream." He ran his hand through his hair. "Now I'm the one that sounds crazy."  
  
"No. . . explain. What do you mean it wasn't a dream?"  
  
"I'm just saying. . . maybe it wasn't a dream because. . . I was having those dreams," Draco admit to her. Her hand rose to her mouth and her eyes widened.  
  
"So I'm not psycho?" she asked, hopefully  
  
He took her hand in his, "No my love, you aren't." He paused. "Well. . . maybe. But not because of this."  
  
"Draco!" He just chuckled and she sighed. He glanced at her, suddenly remembering why this was all happening. Was she really going to die? Could this be the last time he saw her smile? Could it be the last time he saw her??  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A/N- Wow.that took a long time to find the inspiration. But I wrote it in about five minutes, so if it's sucky I apologize. I have to go post this now, because I'm excited that I wrote again! And I hope this was up to par everyone. Please review! 


	23. The Solution

Disclaimer: [sighs, in exasperated tone] I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters, setting, etc. There. You happy now?!?!  
  
Stranger at my Door  
  
Chapter 22  
  
The Solution  
  
Draco looked down at the beautiful angel in his arms, fast asleep. That second in time he wished to the God he didn't believe in that he could heal her in anyway. If only by some magic she would be fine when she woke up.  
  
Draco darted up, "That's it!" he exclaimed, excited. Hermione glared up at him with blurry eyes.  
  
"What?" she murmured, half annoyed, half curious.  
  
"It was right in front of us the whole time. Such a simple solution, why didn't we realize that? And you're supposed to be head of the class?" he ranted on and on, now no longer in the hospital bed but pacing back and forth. Hermione was still registering what he was saying when he raced out of the room.  
  
"Draco?" she called after him, watching the door he left from anxiously. Hermione sighed with exhaustion and lay back down, falling asleep quickly despite the mounting feeling of excitement and joy in her heart.   
  
'Dumbledore,  
  
We need your help. Please come to St. James Hospital where Hermione lives. This is an emergency, so please come immediately. Hermione's life depends on it.  
  
Draco Malfoy'  
  
He put down his quill and gave the letter to his owl. "Fly as fast as you can. There's no time to waste," he told it, and sent it off.  
  
Draco couldn't believe how naïve he was for not seeing the answer that was right in front of them the whole time. Magic. They were constantly around it, why hadn't it come to him as an immediate solution??  
  
He flopped down onto Hermione's bed (he had to go to her house to get his owl) feeling a sense of peace he hadn't felt in what seemed like forever. She was going to be alright. Hermione. His Hermione.  
  
Draco let out a large breath, filled with relief, and drifted into a light sleep.........  
  
"Draco!" Draco whipped his head around to see Hermione. The two of them were tied together, back to back. Each of their backs seeped with blood from ritualistic carvings. "Draco, make them stop! God, it hurts," she cried. He felt her body racking with the wrenching sobs. He tried to tell her it would be okay. He tried to tell her that he would protect her.  
  
But he couldn't. He felt so completely drained that he was surprised he could stand. The searing pain starting in his back, spread like wildfire into his whole body.  
  
And when he looked up at his surroundings, he couldn't help but wish he hadn't......... Deatheaters. All around them. They were chanting something......... Draco couldn't understand it.  
  
The crowd of Deatheaters suddenly parted and Lucius glided smoothly toward him. "I warned you" was all he said as he raised a dagger up.  
  
Draco shot up in bed and put his hand to his head. He was shaking. "That was the weirdest dream," he muttered to himself, trying to blow it off. He was NOT about to start that "promotion" crap or whatever those muggles called it. That was Potter's deal, not his. Draco growled and forced himself out of bed, his good mood shattered and feeling much like the 'old' Draco.  
  
"Damn it!" he shouted and punched the wall, not caring about the hole he put in it, and walked out of the house. He couldn't help but worry about Hermione after that dream. Although the details were quickly fleeting, the sound of her cries was still ringing in his ears.  
  
a/n- I AM SO SORRY THAT THIS TOOK SO LONG. DON'T KILL ME! I'm so ashamed of myself...I had this written for a while, but I never got around to posting it...I'm horrible. Well, summer's here now so I should be able to write again. Man, I'm starting to think that this story might just be a summer project. Well anyway, the story's almost over ... I'll probably be done with it by the end of the summer. That's sort of saddening... ( Oh well... Review! ( Oh and I know it's premonitions not promotions . . . but he might not. (just so I don't get any lectures) 


	24. Real Feelings

Disclaimer: Not only do I own Harry Potter but I also own the boys of Placebo...and yes kids, I can have them do ANYTHING I want. ;-) .........Or at least that's how it is when I'm dreaming.

Stranger at my Door

Chapter 23

Real Feelings

Hermione lay in the hospital bed thinking about the night that she got hit by that car. She realized now that her whole point of view on everything seemed to have changed since then. That car had knocked the need for revenge out of her body, restoring her normal cool, clear mind. It seemed kind of ironic that the same car would be the one to take her life in return.

Hermione sighed, thinking about Harry and Ron and then drifting to Brandee and Lamar. Now they all hated her. All she had now was her mom and Draco. She couldn't help but smile bitterly at the thought. Who would have thought Draco would be the one to stick with her? But he was still here when Harry and Ron weren't.

Draco rushed through the door to Hermione's hospital room just as Dumbledore was leaving. He started for Hermione's side, needing to hold her just to prove to himself that she really was okay and it was just a dream.

"Mr. Malfoy, may I speak to you for a moment?" Dumbledore asked Draco, gesturing toward to hallway. Draco glanced at Hermione, who smiled at him, and went to speak with Dumbledore.

"Yes professor?" Draco stuffed his hands inside his pockets and shifted from foot to foot.

"She's going to be just fine Draco," he told him with a sparkle in his eyes. Draco relaxed visibly but still wanted terribly to run to Hermione.

"Thank you for coming professor," Draco didn't know what else to say. The guy had saved his love's life, what did you say to that? What could you say? Dumbledore nodded in understanding and disappeared. Draco wasted no time before darting into Hermione's room.

"How are you, baby?" he asked softly, taking her hand in his.

Hermione smiled at him, "Good. I feel a lot better."

Draco smiled nervously, still not believing how easy that could have been. What if she wasn't really okay yet? "I'm fine, Draco. Don't worry," she reassured him. "Calm down." She stroked his cheek and he felt himself relaxing and leaning into her touch.

Suddenly a thought struck Draco. "Hermione," he said, a trace of urgency in his voice. "Hermione, where are your parents?"

Hermione shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe they went home," she suggested.

Draco shook his head. "I was just at your house. They weren't there."

Despite Draco's mounting sense of dread, Hermione appeared unafraid. "They probably just went out or something," she said then yawned. "Come sleep," she pulled him onto the bed with her and snuggled up, falling asleep instantly. Draco on the other hand stayed up not able to shake the feeling of danger building inside of him.

a/n- I know, the chapters have been short but that's just how its working. Sorry. I'll try to write a longer one next time!


End file.
